Showing results for "worse"

• comparative of bad.

worse

American  

[wurs] / wɜrs /

adjective

1. bad or ill in a greater or higher degree; inferior in excellence, quality, or character.

2. more unfavorable or injurious.

3. in less good condition; in poorer health.

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noun

1. that which is worse.

adverb

1. in a more evil, wicked, severe, or disadvantageous manner.

2. with more severity, intensity, etc.; in a greater degree.

worse British  

/ wɜːs /

adjective

1. the comparative of bad 1

2. not harmed by (adverse events or circumstances)

3. 1. shabby or worn

   2. a slang term for drunk

4. informal unhappily; unfortunately

5. (postpositive) in a worse, esp a worse financial, condition

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noun

1. something that is worse

2. into a less desirable or inferior state or condition

   a change for the worse

3. to deteriorate even more

adverb

1. in a more severe or unpleasant manner

2. in a less effective or successful manner

worse Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing worse

• all the (worse)
• bark is worse than one's bite
• fate worse than death
• for better or for worse
• from bad to worse
• if worst comes to worst
• none the worse
• take a turn for the better (worse)
• worst

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Etymology

Origin of worse

First recorded before 900; Middle English (adjective, adverb, and noun); Old English wiersa (comparative adjective), wiers (adverb); cognate with Old Norse verri, Gothic wairsiza; see war ²

Explanation

Worse means "not as good as something else" or "changed negatively," like a sore throat that is getting worse, meaning it hurts more now. Worse comes from the Old Saxon word werran or "to entangle, compound." To compound is to add to, so if troubles, complication, or anything else that entangles are added to a situation, it will get worse. Remember that worse is used to compare two things, such as "now" and "before," while worst compares three or more things. You might use worse than yesterday, but this doesn't make it the worst cold you ever had.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

worse

Doing so would relieve the court of diverting its other resources to these ethics matters or, worse, undervaluing them altogether.

From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2026

I guess if Letterboxd decides to sell to a media company and becomes objectively worse, disappointed users can migrate to A24’s physical, paper-bound film logs.

From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026

Management isn’t expecting a worse second half, CFO Gonzalo Luchetti says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Now, with a heat wave descending over much of Southern California, residents worry the odor could get even worse and scores of residents have called air quality regulators to complain.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

And I regret to inform you that it does get worse before it gets better.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• bad
• poor