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 His thumb worsened on Sunday against the Padres, but the swelling has since started to subside. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026 Delevingne says her psoriasis was worsened by her stressful modeling lifestyle. — Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026 The wildfire, which broke out in Western Attica near the Greek capital Athens, has been worsened by Greece’s gusty, dry winds known as Meltemi, which affects the country during July and August. — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026 However, many say graft has only worsened under the aegis of generals and admirals. — Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 Experts say the leak has worsened in recent days, fueling fears that rough weather could trigger a much larger spill. — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026 As Justin's condition worsened, family flew in from Colorado to be with him in his final moments. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 31 July 2026 Meanwhile, Ukraine's attacks on Russia's oil-refining infrastructure have worsened the world's shortage of those fuels. — Camila Domonoske, NPR, 31 July 2026 Lindsay Clancy’s mental health worsened in December 2022 after a doctor increased her dosage of Seroquel, her former husband testified. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 29 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 business has not deteriorated by 43% in a matter of weeks.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Her vision deteriorated, at times disappearing completely, while neurological symptoms led to seizure-like episodes and stroke-like symptoms.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of deteriorated
Verb
  • Since then, his game behind the plate has vacillated between good and bad — an inconsistency aggravated by the presence of Luis Torrens (and his defensive excellence) as his backup.
    — Tim Britton, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Samuel’s U-turn comes amid uncertainty about wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who aggravated his right knee’s posterior cruciate ligament in Monday’s second practice of training camp.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 31 July 2026
Definition of aggravated
Verb
  • Hoyer and his front office watched as their pitching crumbled down the stretch last season.
    — Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • State road officials on Saturday closed an exit on the Kennedy Expressway near Jefferson Park after part of a retaining wall crumbled.
    — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of crumbled
Verb
  • Houthis’ allies The Houthis are backed by Iran, which began increasing its aid to the group in 2014 as the civil war escalated and as its rivalry with Saudi Arabia intensified.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Violence has intensified across several regions as criminal organizations and guerrilla groups have expanded their territorial influence over the past several years.
    — Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of intensified
Verb
  • But at the end of the year, as immigration officers descended on Minneapolis, that vote became a liability.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • There was a very real chance the bus could continue to slide, but Lara and four other soldiers and airmen rushed to help as the scene descended into chaos.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of descended
Verb
  • At dinnertime, Thune gathered all the Republican senators for a meeting as the standoff deepened at the Capitol.
    — Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The threats came amid rampant speculation and scrutiny of the investigation, deepened in part by uncertainty surrounding Wells’ final hours, distrust of law enforcement and the state’s long history of racist violence.
    — Josh Kelety, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of deepened
Verb
  • Quinn declined, however, to move Coleman earlier in camp when starting center Nick Allegretti went down with a calf injury, opting instead to use Julian Good-Jones and let Coleman focus on left guard.
    — Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The case was rejected by the District Attorney’s office in April 2024, and the Santa Monica City Attorney’s office declined to press charges.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of declined
Verb
  • Their task is complicated by the loss of Morgan Rogers, who joined Chelsea over the summer, while Youri Tielemans joined Manchester United and Amadou Onana is sidelined with a long-term knee injury.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • But further advances are complicated because the area is an organized crime risk, which affects investment and insurance policies.
    — Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 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 12 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of worsened for Spanish Speakers

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