: involving, projecting, or providing for the worst possible circumstances or outcome of a given situation
a worst-case scenario

Examples of worst-case in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Reiss further said that dangling a worst-case scenario this early puts the conversation on affordability and government fiscal priorities front and center, instead of it being buried under other issues that will surface as election season kicks off. Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026 As of this writing, the odds of a worst-case scenario is around 1 in 5. Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026 Much of the Charlotte area surpassed worst-case scenarios for snow accumulations Saturday, and temperatures are staying low enough to keep it from melting on Sunday, forecasters say. Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2026 In a worst-case scenario, large swaths of Atlanta could be unnavigable for days. Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for worst-case

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of worst-case was in 1964

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Cite this Entry

“Worst-case.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worst-case. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

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