lexicow

worsen

/ˈwɜːrsən//ˈwɜːsən/·verb

to become worse, or to make something worse

I watch someone picnicking under a full sun. A single grey cloud drifts across it — nobody pushes it — then a heavier one follows, and the light drains a shade at a time. The wind lifts a corner of the blanket, thin drops arrive, and soon the sky has settled into a steady, driving rain with one far-off blink of lightning. The picnicker just sits there looking up, with nothing to blame: the sky never got a shove from anyone, it simply kept sliding further from the morning it started as.
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Definition

To worsen is the plainest way English has of saying that bad is heading toward worse — and, tellingly, it needs no one to blame. Weather worsens, a patient's condition worsens, a shortage worsens: the verb works intransitively, for things that slide downhill by themselves, which sets it apart from aggravate, where an outside action does the damage. It also works transitively — a badly timed policy can worsen the very problem it was meant to cure. Neutral in register, it fits everywhere its formal cousins exacerbate and deteriorate would sound heavy.

Examples

  • The weather worsened overnight, and by morning the roads were impassable.
  • The new tariffs only worsened the shortage of imported parts.
  • Her eyesight worsened so gradually that she hardly noticed the change.

Collocations

the weather worsened· the situation worsened· worsening conditions· worsen the problem· steadily worsen· worsen over time

Synonyms

deteriorate· decline· aggravate· exacerbate· degenerate

Antonyms

improve· ease· abate· alleviate

See also

Word family

worse (adjective)· worsening (adjective, noun)

In TOEFL & IELTS

A workhorse of trend language: in Writing Task 1, figures, air quality and congestion all 'worsen steadily' or 'worsen sharply', and the attributive form 'worsening' ('a worsening shortage', 'worsening conditions') instantly lifts a sentence. Because it is neutral and works both ways — things worsen on their own, or something worsens them — it is the safe default when aggravate (which wants an agent) or exacerbate (which wants formality) would overreach. Built on 'worse', so no new spelling to learn; just do not write 'worsen' when you mean the adjective: conditions GET worse, or conditions worsen.