worsen

verb

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

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.
Gripped by a worsening economic crisis, Cuba’s government recently adopted rationing measures to protect essential services and ration fuel supplies for key sectors. Sam Meredith, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2026 Personality traits such as mental toughness, discipline, high pain tolerance and persistence may also lead to worsened eating disorder risk and behaviors in athletes. Emily Hemendinger, The Conversation, 13 Feb. 2026 By December, her condition had worsened—a pain in her abdomen had emerged as well as more swollen lymph nodes—and she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer that affects a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes. Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026 The five preceding episodes depicted Louie’s worsening health, with Harden keeping a dignified smile on Louie’s face but also moving a little slower and admitting to more pain. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Worsen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worsen. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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

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