worsen

Meaning

1. (transitive) To make worse; to impair.
2. (intransitive) To become worse; to get worse.
3. (obsolete, transitive) To get the better of; to worst.

Opposite of

ameliorate, improve, meliorate, mitigate

Synonyms

deteriorate

aggravate

make worse

get worse

become worse

exacerbate

decline

weaken

degenerate

exasperate

spoil

intensify

relapse

fall

impair

dwindle

compound

downgrade

drop away

drop off

dull

emasculate

embitter

enervate

enfeeble

fade

fade away

fail

fall apart

go bad

go down

go wrong

inflame

ruin

shake

🫨

sick

🤢

soften

suffer

take away

unbrace

wane

wash out

slip back

devitalise

be decadent

get worse in quality

pejorate

make more acute

alloy

blunt

Translations

peggiorare

verschlechtern

empeorar

empirer

verschlimmern

empitjorar

piorar

agravar

aggravare

verergeren

aggraver

s’aggraver

sich verschlechtern

kötüleştirmek

se dégrader

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈwɝsn̩/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: wursnen

In summary

From Middle English wursnen; equivalent to worse + -en.