worst

[ wurst ]

/ wɜrst /

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See synonyms for: worst / worsted / worsting on Thesaurus.com

adjective, superlative of bad and ill, withworse as comparative.

bad or ill in the highest, greatest, or most extreme degree: the worst person.

most faulty, unsatisfactory, or objectionable: the worst paper submitted.

most unfavorable or injurious.

in the poorest condition: the worst house on the block.

most unpleasant, unattractive, or disagreeable: the worst personality I've ever known.

most lacking in skill; least skilled: He’s the worst player on the team.

noun

that which is worst.

adverb

in the most evil, wicked, severe, or disadvantageous manner.

with the most severity, intensity, etc.; in the greatest degree.

verb (used with object)

to defeat; beat: He worsted him easily.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about worst

at worst, if the worst happens; under the worst conditions: He will be expelled from school, at worst.Also at the worst.

get the worst of, to be defeated in; experience the most harm from: New Jersey got the worst of the storm.

if worst comes to worst, if the very worst happens: If worst comes to worst, we still have some money in reserve.

in the worst way, Informal. in an extreme degree; very much: She wanted a new robe for Christmas in the worst way.Also the worst way.

Origin of worst

First recorded before 900; Middle English worste (adjective, adverb, and noun), Old English wur(re)sta, wyr(re)st, wer(re)sta (adjective and adverb); cognate with Old Norse verstr; see worse, -est¹

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH worst

worst , wurst

Words nearby worst

worser, worset, worship, worshipful, worship the ground someone walks on, worst, worst-case, worsted, wort, worth, worthful

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT WORST

What is a basic definition of worst?

Worst describes something as being bad in the highest degree possible. Worst is also used to mean a thing that is the baddest possible and to mean something done in the baddest manner possible. Worst has several other senses as an adjective, adverb, noun, and verb.

Worst is a superlative of the word bad. Simply put, worst describes something as being the baddest out of a group, category, list, and the like. This can mean something is most evil, is least skilled, is most unsatisfactory, is of the poorest quality, or is most unpleasant. What someone thinks of as the worst something depends on what they’re judging that thing on. As with bad, worst is often a person’s opinion.

Real-life examples: Everybody has a movie that they think is the worst (poorest quality or most unpleasant to watch) movie ever made. The worst student in a class could be the one who scores the lowest on tests or the one who misbehaves the most. A runner who records the worst time in a race is the one who ran the slowest. The worst person you know might be the one with the most unpleasant personality or who treats you the most poorly.
Used in a sentence: Jessica got a 50 on the test, making her grade the worst in the class.

In this same sense, worst as a noun means something is the baddest out of a group. This sense is almost always phrased as “the worst.”

Real-life examples: A person who is the least skilled at painting among a group of painters is the worst. A pie that is the least pleasant to eat out of a group of pies is the worst.
Used in a sentence: I have played a lot of bad video games, but that one is the worst of them all.

As an adverb, worst is the superlative of the word badly and describes something as being done in as bad a manner as possible.

Used in a sentence: We didn’t get any runners on base, making today’s baseball game the worst one this year.

Where does worst come from?

The first records of the term worst come from before 900. It ultimately comes from the Old English wierrest. It is related to similar words from other languages, such as the Old Frisian wersta and the Old Norse verstr.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for worst?

What are some words that share a root or word element with worst?

What are some words that often get used in discussing worst?

How is worst used in real life?

Worst is a very common word that describes something as being so bad that you can’t think of anything that is worse.

I am in Cape Town and relieved that I am no longer the worst dancer in town #Daddancing #pmdancing

— Ben Fogle (@Benfogle) August 28, 2018

The 2 thoughts every author has while writing a book:
1. This is the best book ever written.
2. This is the worst book ever written.

— Jon Acuff (@JonAcuff) March 28, 2016

Mascara is truly the worst of all the makeup

— Danielle Sepulvalentine (@ellesep) August 20, 2020

Try using worst!

Is worst used correctly in the following sentence?

I am the worst driver in my family and have gotten more driving tickets than anyone else.

How to use worst in a sentence

Girdusky, who has also worked as a political consultant for about 15 years, told The Washington Post that Weaver’s past was like a “worst-kept secret” and that several men reached out to him after Weaver followed him on Twitter last May.
Lincoln Project disavows co-founder John Weaver after allegations he made unsolicited sexual overtures to young men|Amy B Wang|January 31, 2021|Washington Post
Here’s a look at the best- and worst-performing asset classes for 2020, and what that that performance might bode for the year to come.
From Bitcoin to Asian tech stocks, these are the biggest winners and losers of the 2020 global markets|Bernhard Warner|January 1, 2021|Fortune
Even data from the worst-behaving police departments is still being used to inform predictive policing tools.
How our data encodes systematic racism|Amy Nordrum|December 10, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Its kick-off could still get pushed back, as Japan grapples with a fresh outbreak and Osaka, where the park is located, becomes one of the nation’s worst-affected cities.
Universal Studios’ long-awaited Super Nintendo World finally gets an opening date|Claire Zillman, reporter|November 30, 2020|Fortune

To do otherwise is at best dishonest and, at worst, significantly damaging to the country.
If there is any real evidence of fraud, Mr. President, it’s time to put up|Philip Bump|November 28, 2020|Washington Post
But there is an underlying feeling that the worst is yet to come.
Europe’s Islam Haters Say We Told You So|Barbie Latza Nadeau|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If there are 162 confirmed deaths from Flight 8501, this would make 2014 the worst year for accident deaths since 2005.
Did Bad Weather Bring Down AirAsia 8501?|Clive Irving|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And his worst work is better than the stuff everyone else is doing.
Coffee Talk with Ethan Hawke: On ‘Boyhood,’ Jennifer Lawrence, and Bill Clinton’s Urinal Exchange|Marlow Stern|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was neither the best nor worst pickup line I encountered that evening.
The Craziest Date Night for Single Jews, Where Mistletoe Is Ditched for Shots|Emily Shire|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Although I was not free of eating disorder thoughts, I figured the worst of it was behind me.
You’re Never ‘Cured’ of an Eating Disorder|Carrie Arnold|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Urbanity ushers in water that needs no apology, and gives a zest to the worst vintage.
Pearls of Thought|Maturin M. Ballou
Many of us had been hit by the balls, but a bruise or a graze of the skin was the worst consequence that had ensued.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
Worst danger zone, the open sea, now traversed, but on land not yet out of the wood.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
The worst loss is that of Winston's ear; high principles won't obtain high explosives.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
Conditions in the new country had gone from bad to worse, and if the season should experience another drought, the worst was come.
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux

British Dictionary definitions for worst

worst

/ (wɜːst) /

adjective

the superlative of bad 1

adverb

in the most extreme or bad manner or degree

least well, suitably, or acceptably

(in combination) in or to the smallest degree or extent; leastworst-loved

noun

the worst the least good or most inferior person, thing, or part in a group, narrative, etc

(often preceded by at) the most poor, unpleasant, or unskilled quality or conditiontelevision is at its worst these days

the greatest amount of damage or wickedness of which a person or group is capablethe invaders came and did their worst

the weakest effort or poorest achievement that a person or group is capable of makingthe applicant did his worst at the test because he did not want the job

the worst

in the least favourable interpretation or view
under the least favourable conditions

if the worst comes to the worst if all the more desirable alternatives become impossible or if the worst possible thing happens

come off worst or get the worst of it to enjoy the least benefit from an issue or be defeated in it

verb

(tr) to get the advantage over; defeat or beat

Word Origin for worst

Old English wierrest; related to Old Frisian wersta, Old Saxon, Old High German wirsisto, Old Norse verstr

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with worst

worst

see at worst; get (have) the worst of it; if worst comes to worst; in the worst way. Also see under worse.

worst

Idioms about worst

Origin of worst

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH worst

Words nearby worst

MORE ABOUT WORST

What is a basic definition of worst?

Where does worst come from?

Did you know ... ?

How is worst used in real life?

Try using worst!

Words related to worst

How to use worst in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for worst

Word Origin for worst

Other Idioms and Phrases with worst