WORSEN Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

worsen

verb

ˈwər-sᵊn

Definition of worsen

as in to deteriorate

to become worse or of less value the condition of the house worsened with every year of neglect

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to aggravate

to make more severe the harsh winter only worsened the fuel shortage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of worsen If neck pain keeps coming back or skin changes continue to worsen, the better next step is to talk with a doctor or dermatologist. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026 Waves from powerful offshore hurricanes in the eastern Pacific have worsened the coastal flooding situation in Southern California in particular. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026 Leitaea Lowrimore, of Oklahoma, sought care at three hospitals across two states as her pain and bleeding worsened, yet did not receive immediate treatment even as doctors acknowledged a possible ectopic pregnancy. — Dara Kass, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026 Here's what pet owners can do to prepare before conditions worsen. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for worsen

Recent Examples of Synonyms for worsen

Verb

Meanwhile, at the celebratory crew dinner, the we’re-all-in-this-together vibe starts to deteriorate.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
Her condition deteriorated rapidly over the following 48 hours.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of deteriorate

Verb

Unfortunately, Delane aggravated a shoulder injury on that play and was unable to return to action in that game, the season opener at Arrowhead.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
The Yankees are also cautious about Judge on a turf field, which could further aggravate the injury.

— Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of aggravate

Verb

The neighborhood This is one of Bangkok’s oldest districts, where street kitchens still dish up 100-year-old family recipes and crumbling shophouses line the road.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Plague death exposes Putin's crumbling grip as war and economy spiral downward.

— , FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of crumble

Verb

What began as a rebellion against broken classrooms has become a test of whether France can reconcile its costly promises with its financial reality before the divisions consuming its schools deepen further.

— Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
His lore is also deepened, the kills get more intense, all good stuff.

— Brian Welk, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of deepen

Verb

As the town and its residents descend into chaos after a massive iceberg emerges from the water, Calvin realizes it might all be connected to his father’s accident.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
The statement said the weapon separated from its booster rocket at the planned altitude, then descended and maneuvered both vertically and horizontally before hitting a test target.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of descend

Verb

Moscow and Kyiv have intensified their aerial assaults as progress along the 750-mile front line has largely ground to a halt.

— HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
Another major challenge is intensifying domestic competition and labor shortages as Japan’s birth rate declines and its population ages, Nagai said.

— Jenny Lee, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of intensify

Verb

When Albin returned to the question of which country posed the greater threat to American interests, el Sayed again declined to choose between them, arguing that both had demonstrated the capacity to cause harm.

— Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
Courtesy of Heineken, 2026 Caton declined to say how many European jobs will go, citing ongoing consultation with staff and the European Works Council.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of decline

Verb

Although this is small compared with the water use of sectors such as agriculture and electricity generation, the concentration of data centers in water-scarce regions may exacerbate existing water stress.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
But its removal raised fuel prices sharply, pressure that was exacerbated by the Iran war curtailing energy supplies.

— Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of exacerbate

Browse Nearby Words

worse

worsen

worsened

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“Worsen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worsen. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of worsen

verb

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