First recorded in 1960–65
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He described that as a "worst-case scenario" option in a YouTube interview with journalist Unsal Unlu.
From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026
The study highlights several worst-case scenarios, including spacecraft accidents involving contaminated materials or astronauts who may have been exposed to extraterrestrial environments.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 6, 2026
“We are thinking worst-case scenario,” Honsal said, “and we are here to book and uncover whatever evidence we could possibly find.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
But they indicated they would act "forcefully" if oil prices did not start to fall, with up to six rate hikes in a worst-case scenario.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
For people who spent their workdays watching the ups and downs of reactor pressure and heat, and making constant adjustments to keep things running safely, it was a worst-case scenario.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
What is exempt or not depends on your state’s rules, but often includes cash and bank balances exceeding basic needs, valuable collections, investments and, in the worst case, your home.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026
“He told me I was the worst case he’d ever seen but he’s so positive, he said: ‘You’ve got great potential,’” McCarthy recalled of his first meeting with O’Mara.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
At the trial, Natural England described the damage as the "worst case of riverside destruction" seen by the organisation.
From BBC ● May 26, 2026
"As a result, the channels can grow and, in the worst case, weaken the stability of the entire ice shelf."
From Science Daily ● May 10, 2026
Then, in the worst case of bad timing imaginable, a Scoreboard alert flashed on my display, just a few seconds after I began to play through the final screen.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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.
