worsen

verb

wors·​en ˈwər-sᵊn How to pronounce worsen (audio)
worsened; worsening
ˈwərs-niŋ,
ˈwər-sᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce worsen (audio)

intransitive verb

: to become worse
the weather began to worsen

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The tussle on the Milwaukee-to-Dallas-Fort Worth flight is the latest example of apparent air passenger misbehavior – a problem that’s worsened for airlines since before the pandemic, with at least 1,854 incidents reported this year to the Federal Aviation Administration. Graham Hurley, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024 These symptoms may worsen into uncontrolled coughing fits that last between one to six weeks. Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 16 Nov. 2024 Yet the blue economy, especially industries like seabed and deep sea mining, can worsen the ocean's ability to act as a carbon sink and can worsen overall climate change. Devika Rao, theweek, 11 Nov. 2024 At a time when Real Madrid legend Predrag Mijatovic believes that Ancelotti has lost control of his team, the manager has to quickly find a solution for Mbappe and his colleagues before matters worsen. Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for worsen 

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of worsen was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near worsen

Cite this Entry

“Worsen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worsen. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

worsen

verb
wors·​en ˈwərs-ᵊn How to pronounce worsen (audio)
worsened; worsening ˈwərs-niŋ How to pronounce worsen (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to make or become worse
the weather worsened

More from Merriam-Webster on worsen

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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