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

Attacks by Yemen’s Houthis against Saudi energy infrastructure drove oil prices towards the $100 a barrel mark, as fears grow that the largely dormant Middle East conflict is worsening. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2026

The worsening economic crisis led to weakness in the labor market, allowing employers to engage in wage repression and leading to further pressure on household incomes. — Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2026

More expensive oil has worsened worries about the high inflation weighing on people and companies across the country, which gives extra heft to a couple reports coming later this week. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

The central bank officially raised concerns about AI in July, listing the threats of a potential stock market bubble, worsened cybersecurity vulnerabilities and AI companies’ increasingly complex and opaque debt. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 7 Sep. 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