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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Recent Examples of worsen
In such cases, delaying treatment may worsen the condition.
—
Merve Ceylan, Health, 7 Nov. 2025
Knoxville's airport has so far avoided widespread flight cancellations and ground traffic freezes during the monthlong federal shutdown, but staffing shortages could worsen as the congressional stalemate drags on, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 6 Nov. 2025
Should things worsen, Bedford said, additional measures could be taken in specific markets.
—Tom Costello, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025
Those could worsen this weekend.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for worsen
Merve Ceylan, Health, 7 Nov. 2025
Knoxville's airport has so far avoided widespread flight cancellations and ground traffic freezes during the monthlong federal shutdown, but staffing shortages could worsen as the congressional stalemate drags on, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 6 Nov. 2025
Should things worsen, Bedford said, additional measures could be taken in specific markets.
—Tom Costello, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025
Those could worsen this weekend.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for worsen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worsen
Verb
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Residents should also remain alert to rapidly changing forecasts, as conditions may deteriorate quickly.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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Grace appears dazed when others pick up on her ache, and takes a perverse pleasure in Jackson’s struggle to deal with her deteriorating mental health.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The model comes with three attachments, including a crevice tool that helps remove allergy-aggravating dust, pet hair, and debris.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
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The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't make any moves at the NFL trade deadline, aggravating their fanbase in the process.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That quest comes to a screeching halt due to the 2008 recession, as Jackie scrambles to adjust to a new lifestyle while husband David struggles to keep his timeshare empire from crumbling.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Nov. 2025
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Instead, Chenoweth finds the humanity inside the caricature, capturing the contradictions that made Jackie a pop-culture fascination — her drive for success, her humor, and yes, even her delusion to keep believing in a fantasy when the walls around her are literally crumbling.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Congress members’ own backgrounds, largely shaped by selective public and private universities, only deepen the disconnect.—
Yolanda Watson Spiva,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
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This experience has deepened my faith and commitment to working for His kingdom as a true follower of Jesus Christ.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The trail stays level early on and crosses the road a couple of times before descending through a grove of Arizona cypress to a shallow drainage.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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The Senate’s negotiations on reopening the government are descending into another impasse.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Violence has intensified, humanitarian aid remains blocked, and political prisoners, including my mother, remain behind bars.—
Kim Aris,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
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Yet even among a number of Christians seeking to raise awareness and intensify efforts to put an end to systematic abuses committed by Boko Haram and other jihadi movements, the prospect of foreign intervention raises serious concerns.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In a social media video, Madi said her father's health declined in the months following an early-stage prostate cancer diagnosis.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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The Administration submitted an emergency filing to the Supreme Court after an appeals court declined to block the injunction.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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On Wednesday, his Administration announced that, owing to air-traffic-controller shortages exacerbated by the shutdown, ten per cent of all flights at forty major airports around the country would be cancelled, causing travel mayhem in a high-stakes bid to force Democrats to end the impasse.—
Susan B. Glasser,
New Yorker,
6 Nov. 2025
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Amid the shutdown, federal employees, including air traffic controllers, are not being paid for their work, exacerbating existing staffing shortages.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Worsen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worsen. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
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