Synonyms

worsen

American

[wur-suhn] / ˈwɜr sən /

verb (used with or without object)

to make or become worse.

Synonyms:

sink, sink, slip, deteriorate, decline, decline

worsen British

/ ˈwɜːsən /

verb

to grow or cause to grow worse

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of worsen

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English wersnen “to deteriorate”; worse, -en ¹

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.

More than a million people have also been displaced, worsening an existing humanitarian crisis in the country.

From BBC

On Friday, the UN's refugee agency warned that Lebanon was facing a worsening humanitarian crisis that could become catastrophic, with more than one million people now displaced.

From BBC

Many RLS patients also end up being treated with dosages that exceed recommended amounts because these drugs can actually worsen the underlying condition over time, according to consultant neurologist, Dr Guy Leschziner.

From BBC

Barr said the market is still “in balance,” but weak, leaving it more exposed if conditions worsen.

From Barron's

But Joanne Hsu, the survey director, said sentiment has worsened more abruptly in recent weeks among higher-end consumers, who hold immense wealth in a stock market that is now in or near correction territory.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023