worsen
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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worsens,
present (3rd person singular)
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worsened,
past participle, past
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worsening
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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worsensimple
-
worsenssimple
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have worsenedperfect
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has worsenedperfect
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am worseningprogressive
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are worseningprogressive
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is worseningprogressive
-
have been worseningperfect progressive
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has been worseningperfect progressive
Past
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worsenedsimple
-
had worsenedperfect
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was worseningprogressive
-
were worseningprogressive
-
had been worseningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of worsen
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English wersnen “to deteriorate”; see origin at worse, -en 1
Explanation
When things go from terrible to even more terrible, they worsen. If your sore throat worsens, you should call the doctor. If something gets worse, you can say that it worsens. So if the rain that started as a misty drizzle begins to grow torrential, threatening to ruin the picnic you've planned, the weather worsens. And if there's less money in your piggy bank every day, your financial situation worsens. The verb worsen shares a root with war, the Old Saxon werran, meaning "to entangle."
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.
See Examples For:
"We are very concerned that this trend could worsen in the coming months," he added.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
The condition often begins during childhood and may continue to worsen through adolescence.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026
Generative A.I. certainly has the potential to worsen pandemic conspiracy theories by equipping them with highly convincing fabricated evidence.
From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026
Surging healthcare costs are walloping U.S. workers, and they will only worsen next year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
I am pained to see Father’s condition worsen as he drifts in and out of sleep.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
The numbers: The U.S. economy improved in July and businesses ramped up hiring, but the gains could prove short-lived if the conflict with Iran intensifies, oil prices climb even higher and inflation worsens.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
Higher levels of cortisol also worsens sleep further, locking workers into a self-reinforcing cycle.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
As it worsens, however, it can lead to fatigue, chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, heart failure, and in some cases premature death.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026
Veda’s behavior worsens, including a fake pregnancy with a son of L.A. old money, until the epic showdown.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
Scrolling through her pictures only worsens my mood.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
A 2025 study found that the carbon dioxide released by such companies and their products has substantially worsened heat waves since 2000.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
But then her brother died unexpectedly and her mother’s condition worsened.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
He told AFP debt delinquency was "not a consequence of individual decisions" but the result of "a macroeconomic context that has worsened incomes, employment and economic activity."
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
Fernandez's relationship with Chelsea worsened after the exit of Maresca in January.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
As he and his family traveled through Heidelberg, he slipped into a coma, the result apparently of a combined assault of diabetes, colitis, and his foot infection, all worsened by a bout of food poisoning.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Many of the diseases that cause dementia are progressive, leading over time to worsening memory loss, confusion, behavioral changes, physical decline and ultimately death.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
The homeownership rate has grown slower for millennials than for previous generations, “and an early look at Generation Z shows the trend is worsening, not improving,” Apartment List found.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
Residents and researchers say worsening heat and water stress are putting new pressure on an old divide.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
"Abruptly stopping Tavneos without switching to an alternative should be avoided to prevent the condition worsening," the agency warned, advising patients to consult a doctor about alternatives.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
And contributing to the sour mood at Camp Two were disturbing snippets of news we received about Ngawang Topche’s worsening condition.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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.
