WORSENED Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

worsened

verb

past tense of worsen

as in deteriorated

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 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 The affordability of long-term care has worsened for middle-class Americans, according to a March report from the AARP Public Policy Institute, a policy research arm within AARP, an advocacy group for older adults. — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 Conflict between the government and rebel groups in the eastern region, attacks on health workers and an intense population movement also have worsened the outbreak. — ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 Venezuela’s oil output began to stagnate, a situation which worsened further after the coup attempt of April 2002. — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 After becoming a daily fixture in the 1990s, blackouts have worsened since 2024, when Cuba’s ancient power grid began to collapse and Soviet-era electrical stations began failing more frequently. — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026 The man's condition worsened while waiting for a rescue helicopter, as an ambulance could not reach the location. — Christian Cervantes, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Authorities in Indonesia, meanwhile, are racing to control wildfires that have dramatically worsened air-quality levels even before fire season typically peaks. — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2026 As his condition worsened, his mother brought him to his grandparents’ house on a busy country road. — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026 The officer called a tow truck to help open the car doors, but as temperatures continued to climb and the dogs’ condition worsened, the officer decided there was no time to wait. — Kat Filardi, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for worsened

Verb

But several of them moving in the same direction tell me that the quality of the rally has deteriorated.

— Thomas Hartmann, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
As the stalemate between the city and Angels owner Arte Moreno grew more entrenched, the condition of Angel Stadium deteriorated.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of deteriorated

Verb

Wednesday’s ugly loss, in which Yoshinobu Yamamoto faltered after a strong start and the Dodgers crumbled late despite taking a 3-0 first-inning lead, was the latest example.

— Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
More than 3,000 people are still missing across both countries, as complex search efforts continue in remote areas where roads and other infrastructure has crumbled.

— Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of crumbled

Verb

Earlier in the week, Prokudin said that Russia has intensified attacks on critical infrastructure in the region, which is about 70% under Russian control.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
The legal challenge intensified an unusually public dispute over how AI can be used in warfare and mass surveillance.

— Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of intensified

Verb

Not long afterward, two dozen Border Patrol agents descended on Roosevelt High School as class was getting out, prompting a confrontation in which the agents deployed pepper spray and arrested four people, including a teacher.

— Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
This year, more than 4,200 shows descended on Edinburgh, with artists hailing from 74 countries.

— Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of descended

Verb

The intervention of Allied troops on the White Russian side in the Russian Civil War deepened Bolshevik paranoia, and Bolshevik leaders concluded that hostile powers would always seek to destroy Russia by cultivating internal enemies.

— Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
Israel and Greece have deepened defense ties in the last decade.

— Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of deepened

Verb

Trump has declined so far to endorse a successor, opting to keep his cards close ahead of what’s likely to be a bitter race.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2026
When asked about the lack of any tributes or the evening’s plans to honor Nolan, the Ocean Springs School District declined to comment.

— Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of declined

Verb

The controversy was complicated by the fact that some prominent rabbis had actually met with Galliano before the exhibition was announced and had come away believing that his repentance was sincere, as JTA reported earlier this month.

— Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
College endowments can be complicated, with the money held across hundreds or even thousands of separate funds.

— Bloomberg, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of complicated

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“Worsened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worsened. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of worsened

verb

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