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.

The treatment reversed worsening memory, spatial learning, coordination and mobility caused by the disease.

From MarketWatch

In Mumbai, the financial capital, citizens staged a rare protest against worsening pothole problem, as clogged sewage lines dumped garbage onto flooded roads during the extended monsoon.

From BBC

If struggling companies sell large amounts of bitcoin, prices could fall further, worsening losses.

From Barron's

Authorities said the hikers had begun their ascent in favourable weather, but conditions quickly worsened due to the altitude and the area's terrain.

From BBC

However, morsels of social freedom do nothing to change a worsening economic situation that is the biggest concern for most of the population, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

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