worsen

verb

wors·​en ˈwər-sᵊn 

worsened; worsening

ˈwərs-niŋ, 

ˈwər-sᵊn-iŋ 

transitive verb

: to make worse

intransitive verb

: to become worse

the weather began to worsen

Synonyms of worsen

• deteriorate
• crumble
• descend
• decline

Examples of worsen in a Sentence

Spending more money is only going to worsen the problem.

the condition of the house worsened with every year of neglect

Recent Examples on the Web

The noise progresses to a rough grinding sound and performance worsens. — Keith Laing, USA Today, 8 July 2026

Growing evidence suggests visible light, particularly high-energy visible (blue) light from sunlight, can worsen pigmentation in people prone to melasma and in those with darker skin tones. — Angela Haupt, Time, 7 July 2026

Air quality alerts The four fires have led to consistently worsening air quality across the state, prompting state health officials to issue advisories. — Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 7 July 2026

France suffers from persistent prison overcrowding and worsening detention conditions, according to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture. — ABC News, 7 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for worsen

• person
• businessperson
• chairperson
• layperson
• salesperson

Kids Definition

worsen

verb

wors·​en ˈwərs-ᵊn 

worsened; worsening ˈwərs-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: to make or become worse

the weather worsened