English Meaning & Definitions
To make or become worse, less favorable, or more severe.
- “The patient's condition began to worsen overnight, requiring immediate intensive care.”
- “Heavy rain and strong winds threatened to worsen the already severe flooding in the valley.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “worsen”.
Formed in Middle to Early Modern English by combining the comparative adjective 'worse' (from Old English 'wiersa', ultimately from Proto-Germanic *wirsizô, meaning 'bad' or 'entangled') with the causative suffix '-en'. It largely replaced the Old English verb 'wyrsian' (to become or make worse).
Think of 'worse' + 'en' (to make): adding '-en' turns the adjective 'worse' into an action meaning 'to make worse'.
Frequently Asked Questions About “worsen”
1. What is the meaning of “worsen” in English?
In English, worsen (verb) is defined as: “To make or become worse, less favorable, or more severe.”.
2. How do you use “worsen” in a sentence?
“The patient's condition began to worsen overnight, requiring immediate intensive care.”
3. What are English synonyms of “worsen”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “worsen”?
Formed in Middle to Early Modern English by combining the comparative adjective 'worse' (from Old English 'wiersa', ultimately from Proto-Germanic *wirsizô, meaning 'bad' or 'entangled') with the causative suffix '-en'. It largely replaced the Old English verb 'wyrsian' (to become or make worse).
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
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A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.