1
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the condition of the house worsened with every year of neglect
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of worsen
The program wasn’t offered last year amid a worsening budget outlook.
—
Melody Gutierrez, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Be aware of factors that can worsen your allergic reaction
Rubin uses a concept called the allergy symptom threshold to explain how exposure to multiple allergens, along with other factors, can trigger symptoms.
—Andrea Muraskin, NPR, 19 Apr. 2025
To prevent dark circles from forming or worsening, Dr. Spearman recommends prioritizing seven to nine hours of sleep every night.
—Essence Gant, Allure, 16 Apr. 2025
Eventually, those with ALS often experience trouble talking, walking, and swallowing, and the symptoms worsen over time.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for worsen
Melody Gutierrez, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Be aware of factors that can worsen your allergic reaction
Rubin uses a concept called the allergy symptom threshold to explain how exposure to multiple allergens, along with other factors, can trigger symptoms.
—Andrea Muraskin, NPR, 19 Apr. 2025
To prevent dark circles from forming or worsening, Dr. Spearman recommends prioritizing seven to nine hours of sleep every night.
—Essence Gant, Allure, 16 Apr. 2025
Eventually, those with ALS often experience trouble talking, walking, and swallowing, and the symptoms worsen over time.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for worsen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worsen
Verb
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That volume is masking deteriorating demand from key sectors - particularly domestic manufacturing, which drives more than 60% of big rig ton miles, and ocean imports.—
Lisa Baertlein,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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Armed violence fuels nutrition crisis for Haitian families Famine is looming in Haiti as violence between armed groups continues, alongside extreme poverty and a deteriorating economy.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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American Anglophobia was palpable years after the American Revolution, swelling during the War of 1812, and aggravated again by the Panic of 1819, America’s first major economic crisis.—
Made by History,
Time,
28 Apr. 2025
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Trump is particularly aggravated with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO — the world's biggest military alliance, which comprises 32 countries in Europe and North America.—
Michel Martin,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The ongoing humanitarian crisis is worsened by widespread poverty, food insecurity, and a crumbling health care system, displacing over a million people from their homes in search of safety.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
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Here’s what students and educators across the state told us about the floods and leaks, overcrowding and inaccessibility, safety and outages, crumbling buildings and heating and cooling problems that impact every part of their day.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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As for the film’s source material, Chew-Bose says that making Bonjour Tristesse significantly deepened her appreciation for Sagan’s very real novel.—
Jessie Heyman,
Vogue,
1 May 2025
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Grief can soften us and deepen our empathy or bring on rage and isolation.—
Friends of Karen,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Her friend Alice is descending a dimly lit stairway.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
20 Apr. 2025
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In an era when political discourse so often descends into outrage and division — on cable news, in Congress, even in school board races — the quiet decency shown in Skokie feels all the more remarkable.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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As the pope’s funeral approached, security around the Vatican intensified.—
Alan Yuhas,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
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President Trump’s recent ultimatum proposing U.S. recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea has intensified the diplomatic divide within Europe, forcing European capitals to choose between Kyiv or Washington.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Muir declined to speak to The Athletic about the evolution of Stanford athletics.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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More: Trump cannot use Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans, judge rules A federal appeals court on April 18 declined the administration's request to pause the judge's order.—
Andrew Chung and John Kruzel,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Carolina’s just a lot deeper than New Jersey, and that’s exacerbated by who’s missing from the lineup.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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Rudolf’s death surely exacerbated Elisabeth’s desire to extricate herself from the public and physical world—a longing that was also reflected in her obsession with self-improvement and self-edification.—
Elizabeth Djinis,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Worsen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worsen. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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