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

Rights groups ​and activists say repression has worsened in ​the period since. — Reuters, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026

Chris Costagli, a vice president and food thought leader at NielsenIQ, said high gas prices have worsened Americans’ concerns about affordability, and that's dampening demand for Halloween treats. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

While there is not yet a cure for MS, there are more than 20 therapies that can help reduce disease activity and slow worsening for many people living with MS. — Bruce Bebo, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026

Both will, however, face the same economic challenge at home — a worsening fiscal outlook and growing difficulty servicing the country’s debt, as well as increasing economic precariousness among much of the population. — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 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