worsened

verb

past tense of worsen
1
as in deteriorated
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
2
as in aggravated
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 worsened Five of six different brain tests showed diranersen recipients’ memory and other cognitive abilities still worsened but more slowly than those given dummy shots, Mummery said. — Lauran Neergaard, Fortune, 14 July 2026 Neighbors who saw smoke coming from the home reached Bo and Addie before conditions worsened. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 14 July 2026 The dangers of turning insecurity into daily ritual For 20-year-old Kat, from New York, attempting to manifest appearance changes only worsened her self-loathing. — Daisy Schofield, Allure, 13 July 2026 Two measures tied to Alzheimer’s progression, hippocampal shrinkage and ventricle expansion, worsened in the control group but held steady in the treatment group. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 13 July 2026 On top of these Medicaid changes, the Administration’s crackdown on immigrants, including those living and working legally in the US, has worsened a serious shortage of direct care workers. — Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 But the security situation has worsened with a record number of militant attacks. — ABC News, 10 July 2026 Start by checking the hourly forecast for your destination, and ask everyone traveling with you about health considerations that could be worsened by heat pregnancy, heart conditions, medications that affect hydration. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026 The country’s power crisis worsened this year after the US forced Cuba’s main suppliers to stop oil shipments. — Michael Rios, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worsened
  1. deteriorated
  2. aggravated
  3. crumbled
  4. intensified
  5. descended
  6. deepened
  7. declined
  8. complicated
Verb
  • The relationship between Cassidy and Kennedy has deteriorated after Cassidy criticized Kennedy’s vaccine policies.
    — Helen Branswell, STAT, 15 July 2026
  • What began as a low-level juvenile case became five years in secure custody as his behavior deteriorated and new charges accumulated.
    — Christina Buttons, Washington Post, 14 July 2026
Definition of deteriorated
Verb
  • But the irritation in his left knee, which is aggravated by pitching, continues to be a problem.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Buxton re-aggravated a right hip issue that has sidelined him multiple times this season on Sunday, leaving the game early after attempting to steal second base.
    — Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 7 July 2026
Definition of aggravated
Verb
  • At the height of Venezuela’s earthquake response, as rescue crews searched crumbled and flattened buildings for signs of life, one worker named Tsunami was supposed to be taking a rare break in the shade.
    — Tibisay Zea, Christian Science Monitor, 15 July 2026
  • With the mountain of new evidence presented by the prosecution during this week’s hearings, those theories have effectively crumbled.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 11 July 2026
Definition of crumbled
Verb
  • Tensions between the two tech companies have strained their relationship, as the race to develop AI products has intensified competition for talent and proprietary technology.
    — Stephen Nellis, USA Today, 11 July 2026
  • Earlier, at least 17 people were killed in the southern Philippines, mostly due to landslides that were set off by seasonal monsoon rains that Bavi intensified before the typhoon blew away toward Taiwan, Philippine officials said Saturday.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of intensified
Verb
  • Nirmal Kumar, 44, a businessman, said what began as a leisurely trip descended into chaos within minutes as a storm lashed the boat.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
  • On a balmy June evening, a crowd of vampire obsessives descended upon the Upper West Side’s Beacon Theatre in a sea of black and red.
    — Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
Definition of descended
Verb
  • The war that followed October 7 deepened the rupture, with several Entebbe veterans joining the weekly protests calling on Netanyahu to end the fighting and strike a deal to bring the hostages home.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 13 July 2026
  • His assertive foreign policy made Qatar a key mediator from Darfur to Gaza, while backing Islamists and hosting Taliban talks deepened rifts with neighbors and Western partners.
    — Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of deepened
Verb
  • The firm declined to share Henderson’s declaration, citing a confidentiality agreement.
    — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
  • Attorneys for the defendants have denied the allegations in court, and MetroLoft declined to comment on the pending litigation on Thursday.
    — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of declined
Verb
  • Ormund’s conviction is complicated by the fact that his most powerful asset, Daeron, is a Targaryen by lineage.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 July 2026
  • Even before Pulte's appointment complicated its path to renewal, the law was already on a bumpy path as civil liberties-minded lawmakers in both parties demanded reforms on warrant requirements.
    — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Definition of complicated

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Cite this Entry

“Worsened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worsened. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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