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

Haze has worsened in Malaysia’s Sarawak state, which shares a border with Indonesia’s Kalimantan province on Borneo. — Trisnadi, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026

More than 50 hectares (124 acres) of peatland have burned in Jambi province on Sumatra island, causing choking haze in some areas and raising concerns about worsening air quality. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026

However, while his dad was back in his life, his relationship with alcohol worsened. — Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Will new leadership restore Google’s AI momentum, or worsen internal tensions at a crucial moment in the AI race? — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 10 Aug. 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