Synonyms

worsen

American

[wur-suhn] / ˈwɜr sən /

verb (used with or without object)

to make or become worse.

Synonyms:

sink, sink, slip, deteriorate, decline, decline

worsen British

/ 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

Etymology

Origin of worsen

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English wersnen “to deteriorate”; worse, -en ¹

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.

Resort operations worsened, some critics say, after the 2020 departure of a respected ski industry executive who had served as CEO.

From The Wall Street Journal

But if yields are falling because of worsening expectations for the economy or job market, things change because such a “flight-to-safety” trade would likely be accompanied by a downturn in stocks and other assets.

From MarketWatch

It’s the latest evidence of worsening health among younger U.S. adults, including deaths from conditions traditionally tied to aging.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Greater and sustained international support is urgently needed now to prevent the situation from worsening into an even more catastrophic crisis," says its Yemen country director, Farran Puig.

From BBC

The underlying calculation is straightforward: that a worsening internal crisis could create the conditions for the Cuban Revolution to unravel from within.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023