: 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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Turning off water before leaving home prevents these worst-case scenarios. Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026 Wind gust 78-85 mph is worst-case Because storms may move faster than 45 mph, the weather could change quickly on Friday. Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026 The stock market hit a record Wednesday after adding to its two-week rally built on hopes the war with Iran won’t create a worst-case scenario for the global economy. Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026 In this context, a worst-case event refers to something that occurs roughly once every 100 to 200 years, similar in scale to the Carrington Event. Ryan French, Space.com, 15 Apr. 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 25 Apr. 2026.

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