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

Relevance

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 Cue years of staggered, steadily worsening consequences, unboxed by Strippoli with gruesome relish. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 Sep. 2026 With fighting intensifying and no sign of diplomatic progress, oil prices have headed back up, worsening the inflation outlook. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026 Winter warned that the practice can cause skin irritation, worsen existing cracks on the feet and open small cuts that let bacteria in. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2026 Berry struck me as someone who absolutely would fixate on the general worsening direction of things. — Joe Fassler, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for worsen

Recent Examples of Synonyms for worsen

Verb

An individual company can maintain excellent controls and favorable claims experience while still facing higher pricing because the market has deteriorated around it.

— Randy Sadler, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
And that’s when the Twins began to sink, though the ship deteriorated far more over these past three weeks than at first.

— Dan Hayes, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of deteriorate

Verb

In what would be a big blow to fantasy football managers, Baltimore Ravens star receiver Zay Flowers was absent from Wednesday’s practice session, three days after aggravating his hamstring injury in Sunday’s win at Indianapolis.

— Andy Behrens, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
First baseman Freddie Freeman was out of the lineup Monday managing right knee soreness, and second baseman Miguel Rojas was playing through shoulder soreness after aggravating a longstanding partial tear in a labrum.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of aggravate

Verb

Transportation officials posted a video showing severe erosion jeopardizing the train tracks used by Metrolink in San Clemente, with strong ocean waves crashing on the tracks and sediment crumbling onto the rocks below.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
The Packers’ identity is that of a team that can’t shut the door, one that crumbles when momentum turns in a hostile away environment.

— Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of crumble

Verb

Rather than directly monetizing the platform, Nvidia can deepen developer loyalty, make its hardware and software a natural choice for deploying AI models, and keep a strategic asset out of competitors' hands.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026
And suppose, additionally, that Haidt is also right, and that—for many kids—smartphones are deepening these problems and adding new ones.

— Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of deepen

Verb

In July, the worst air quality since records began descended on Chicago in part due to smoke from wildfires in Canada.

— Mikayla Price, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
Nearly 500 federal, state and local officers descended on the sprawling plant, detaining 475 workers, mostly South Koreans.

— Hanna Park, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of descend

Verb

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned Sunday that Moscow appears poised to intensify its campaign against Ukraine's borders with European countries.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
European leaders convene in Finland’s Arctic capital as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and resource frontiers, intensifying Russian military activity and exposing doubts about NATO’s long-term role in regional security.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of intensify

Verb

His attorney, Daniel Gerdts, declined to comment after the hearing.

— TIM SULLIVAN, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026
There are also discussions about an adjacent White House meeting with AI CEOs next week, which House Majority Leader Mike Johnson referenced, but a representative for the speaker declined to provide further details.

— Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of decline

Verb

Importantly, such research demonstrated the formidable risk associated with self-criticism for postpartum depression and anxiety, as well as for disruptions in mother-child communication, which might exacerbate postpartum psychopathology.

— Torie Bosch, STAT, 5 Sep. 2026
That focus is exacerbated by the fact that there also aren't many other competing catalysts next week, Stovall noted.

— Sean Conlon, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of exacerbate

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worse

worsen

worsened

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“Worsen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worsen. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of worsen

verb

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