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.
"It could, at the very best, actually distract them from doing the things that might actually help, but at worst it could actually get them to do things that are harmful," he adds.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
The result is a metaphysical model that, at best, lacks clarity, and at worst obscures the very nature of reality.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 8, 2026
Valuing a company that hasn’t made money at $1.8 trillion seems aggressive at best, foolhardy at worst.
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
Yet enforcement of firearm relinquishment remains at best inconsistent and at worst nonexistent.
From Slate ● Apr. 25, 2026
There are always untenable events, freak happenings like someone recognizing you, or at worst, the trouble results from a foolish and negligent spy, like my time with Luzan.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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.
