German word

verkommen

Pronunciation

IPA/fɛɐ̯ˈkɔmən/

Meaning

  • verbdeteriorate

Example

Das Haus verkommt langsam.

The house is slowly deteriorating.

Illustration for verkommen (deteriorate)

More examples

Die Debatte verkommt in persönliche Beschimpfungen.

The debate deteriorates into personal insults.

Core concept

Something once orderly loses care and worth until it appears shabby on the outside or degraded in character.

Common phrases

  • verkommt in Sittenverfall

    deteriorate into moral decay

  • verkommt zur Korruption

    deteriorate into corruption

Similar words

verwahrlosen: To become run-down and neglected because of a lack of care.
verfallen: To fall into disrepair and gradually become unusable.
sich verschlechtern: To worsen from an earlier condition or level.

Definition in German

Moralisch oder äußerlich in einen verwahrlosten oder sittlich schlechten Zustand übergehen.

Word origin

The verb developed from Middle High German verkomen, meaning to come into ruin, and later acquired both physical and moral senses.

Usage tips

  • Applied to a person, verkommen is strongly judgmental and can mean morally degenerate, not merely untidy or unsuccessful.

Other meanings

  • shabbyadjective
  • degenerateverb

Opposites

  • bessernimproveverb
  • aufblühenflourishverb

Related words

  • das Verkommendeteriorationnoun
  • Verkommenheitdepravitynoun

Word lists with this word