worsen
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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worsens,
present (3rd person singular)
-
worsened,
past participle, past
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worsening
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
worsensimple
-
worsenssimple
-
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
-
worsenedsimple
-
had worsenedperfect
-
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:
However, some experts and activists fear that AI will worsen water supply problems.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
But deal opponents and some experts say the merger would actually worsen L.A.’s already bleak production picture.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
"We are very concerned that this trend could worsen in the coming months," he added.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
Chatbots are addictive and can be a source of friction-free companionship, and can worsen critical thinking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Ngawang’s condition continued to worsen as the day dragged on.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
Prison staff told the BBC they were increasingly having to put two inmates in single occupancy cells, as overcrowding across the adult male estate worsens.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
As the fiscal condition worsens, bond investors may demand higher interest rates and bond underwriters impose restrictions on spending or require higher taxes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
In the future, regular genomic tests could allow clinicians to identify high-risk patients years before their disease worsens.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026
Alzheimer's disease is an incurable type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior and progressively worsens, according to The Alzheimer's Association.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
On the other hand, if the patient worsens, the dosage or intensity of the treatment was not great enough; if he dies, he delayed too long in coming to you.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
Some Fed officials have lost patience with high inflation, which has persisted for more than five years and worsened this summer due to tariffs and the war with Iran.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
The boy's condition was said to have worsened during the pandemic and when he eventually returned to school.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
On Wednesday, Morissette appeared on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast and told host Alex Cooper that she experienced postpartum depression after giving birth to each of children, and that the condition worsened each time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
The humanitarian situation has been further worsened by several natural disasters and the forced return of millions of Afghans from Iran and Pakistan since 2023.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
Following the folding of the beer business, the economic situation in the house had worsened.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
This has meant that civil servants are longer being paid and other services have been seizing up, worsening economic conditions.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
Lamb, the Xcel executive, says the conditions that can create large wildfires are worsening and moving east, and all utilities in North America should prepare.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
"If caffeine helps a person function during the day while simultaneously worsening the quality of nighttime recovery, a vicious circle may develop: greater fatigue, greater need for stimulation, and poorer sleep," says Prof. Kurpas.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
They also said their son-in-law had suffered from worsening post-traumatic stress disorder.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
The symptoms had become increasingly apparent over time: fits, erratic mood swings, worsening amnesia.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
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.
