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worsen

[ wur-suhn ]
/ ˈwɜr sən /
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See synonyms for: worsen / worsened / worsening / worsens on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with or without object)
to make or become worse.
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Origin of worsen

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English wersnen “to deteriorate”; see origin at worse, -en1

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH worsen

aggravate, annoy, intensify, irritate, worsen
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use worsen in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for worsen

worsen
/ (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
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