at worst
Idioms-
Also, at the worst.
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In the least favorable circumstance; under the most difficult conditions. For example, Convicted of taking a bribe, the official believed that at worst he would be sentenced to a few months in prison . [1500s]
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In the least favorable view or supposition, as in No harm done; at the worst I'll copy the tax return again . Chaucer used this sense in Troilus and Cressida: “For at the worst, it may yet short our way.” [Late 1300s] For the antonym, see at best .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yet enforcement of firearm relinquishment remains at best inconsistent and at worst nonexistent.
From Slate • Apr. 25, 2026
The pushback there is tepid at best and non-existent at worst.
From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026
This creates short term duplication and confusion at best — and mid- to long-term losses, at worst.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
But it's already clear that ending the war will not be simple, and its consequences are at best uncertain and at worst dangerous.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
The children’s memories of their former friends in Plinkst were bittersweet at best, heartrending at worst, but the heel-clicking gesture was both invigorating and enjoyable, and they saw no reason to give it up.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
