worsen
Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
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.
This can hurt the caregiver’s finances, worsen their retirement prospects and shrink their eventual Social Security benefit.
From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026
The U.S. is currently facing a shortage of 16,000 primary-care physicians, according to an analysis by the nonprofit KFF, which researches healthcare policy, and projections show the shortage is likely to dramatically worsen.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026
Scientists have uncovered new evidence that serotonin, a brain chemical best known for helping regulate mood, may also worsen tinnitus, the persistent ringing or buzzing sound that affects millions of people worldwide.
From Science Daily • May 15, 2026
He added that shielding consumers now could worsen shortages later, slow the energy transition and put further pressure on government finances.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
By our third month in Ro Leap, things begin to worsen.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
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.
