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
Relevance
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
Drought conditions have worsened the spread of the wheat streak mosaic virus and barley yellow dwarf virus, which impact the potential of the crop.
—
ABC News, 20 May 2026
After that year, our situation worsened.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
The problem is worsened by thatch since fungi feed on decaying plant matter.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 May 2026
Boston Consulting Group’s September 2025 research found that 60% of companies generate no material value from AI — a figure that worsened from the year prior, despite better tools and more experience.
—Dennis Woodside, Fortune, 17 May 2026
The situation, in fact, has worsened considerably for the Russians over the last few months due in part to Ukraine’s tactical ingenuity and Kyiv’s growing ability to do to Russia what Russia has long done to Ukraine — strike deep into its territory.
—Daniel Depetris, Twin Cities, 15 May 2026
The foot injury occurred during gymnastics and was worsened by pushing through it during track and field practices and meets.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
The violence has worsened an already dire humanitarian situation, leaving health facilities overwhelmed or non-functional in parts of the province, Médecins Sans Frontières said earlier in May.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 15 May 2026
The longstanding problem has worsened in recent years, and Coronado’s Central Beach was closed to bathers on 129 days in 2025 because of unsafe bacteria levels.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
ABC News, 20 May 2026
After that year, our situation worsened.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
The problem is worsened by thatch since fungi feed on decaying plant matter.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 18 May 2026
Boston Consulting Group’s September 2025 research found that 60% of companies generate no material value from AI — a figure that worsened from the year prior, despite better tools and more experience.
—Dennis Woodside, Fortune, 17 May 2026
The situation, in fact, has worsened considerably for the Russians over the last few months due in part to Ukraine’s tactical ingenuity and Kyiv’s growing ability to do to Russia what Russia has long done to Ukraine — strike deep into its territory.
—Daniel Depetris, Twin Cities, 15 May 2026
The foot injury occurred during gymnastics and was worsened by pushing through it during track and field practices and meets.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 15 May 2026
The violence has worsened an already dire humanitarian situation, leaving health facilities overwhelmed or non-functional in parts of the province, Médecins Sans Frontières said earlier in May.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 15 May 2026
The longstanding problem has worsened in recent years, and Coronado’s Central Beach was closed to bathers on 129 days in 2025 because of unsafe bacteria levels.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worsened
Verb
-
The leaders best positioned through each of these disruptions were not the ones calling us when the situation deteriorated, but those who had already built their structure during the quiet years.—
Dwayne Chauhan,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
Over the course of the next hour, the weather deteriorated rapidly.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The situation has been aggravated in recent months after the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela meant Cuba stopped receiving free oil from the South American nation.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2026
-
All of this was aggravated by a raft of economic uncertainties, from weak domestic consumption to the threat of a historic trade war with the US, leaving the keenest buyers, like Cai, to think twice before entering the market.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
A lot of the old ways and structures the industry was built around have shifted or crumbled.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
One gentle nudge and Minnesota crumbled, 139-109, to end this Western Conference semifinal.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
With Boston ruled out just before tip-off due to a lower leg injury, the spotlight on Caitlin Clark intensified.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
-
Moreno, a health director for a labor union, said he was consumed at the time with his job, which suddenly intensified as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the country.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Surveillance video captured the dramatic end to the crash, including when a man flew out of the truck, rolled onto the ground and stood up before law enforcement descended on the scene.—
Ana Maria Soler,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
-
Outside the Capitol, House Speaker Mike Johnson descended the stairs to a lectern.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Meehan’s family soon moved to the Toures’ neighborhood, and the friendship deepened.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Relations between China and Russia have deepened in recent years, particularly since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 left Moscow shunned on the global stage and heavily reliant on Beijing for trade due to Western sanctions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Yolo County’s homeless population declined slightly over the past two years, but nearly two-thirds of the people counted in January were living outdoors as county leaders considered millions of dollars in cuts to the services many rely on.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
16 May 2026
-
Nearby homeowner Mike, who declined to provide his last name and lost his home in the 2017 Tubbs Fire, said the changing weather is a reminder of how quickly fire danger can escalate.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
And this year, the US-Israeli war with Iran further complicated the Fed’s efforts to assess the economy.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
-
The situation has been complicated by international tensions amid the Iran war.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Worsened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worsened. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
