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
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Recent Examples of worsened
The backlash could’ve worsened the casualties in the nine-year war.
—
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2026
The immense costs associated with the program have only worsened the economic situation, leading to a more stifling environment.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
Back in December, Althea's flu symptoms worsened from a fever to dizziness and then a seizure, WHDH 7News reported.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
This was worsened by unseasonably warm weather in Chicago, where temperatures hung in the upper 50s with 90% humidity and steady rainfall throughout the evening.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
Respondents’ expectations about losing their job also worsened.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
How an atmospheric river worsened the snow drought Washington state saw the risks in early December 2025 when a major atmospheric river storm dumped record precipitation in parts of the Pacific Northwest.
—Alejandro N. Flores, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2026
Across all age and education levels, job loss expectations also worsened.
—Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
Its impact was worsened by clogged waterways in an already flood-prone area, and an apparent lack of understanding of early warnings, Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, deputy administrator for the Philippines Office of Civil Defense, told local media.
—Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worsened
Verb
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At the time, Denver’s Landmark Preservation office told the Denver Gazette that the old neon was too deteriorated to restore.—
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The already-frosty relationship between Devers and the front office deteriorated to an irreparable level in May, when Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee injury.—
Verb
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Prater aggravated his previous quadriceps injury Sunday.—
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Sweet was initially arrested on suspicion of felony aggravated DUI, but a criminal complaint filed by the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office shows he was charged with vehicular manslaughter.—
Verb
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Oil prices crumbled again a year later, sending Venezuela into economic calamity, with hyperinflation and mass migration out of the country.—
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Though both sides reached a settlement in November, the conflict was an ugly sign of how solidarity between these organizations crumbled in an attempt to persevere.—
Verb
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Pockets of protests erupting across Iran over the past week have intensified pressure on a dysfunctional government struggling to manage a spiraling economic crisis.—
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The Justice Department has intensified efforts to investigate fraud in the state after a social media video shared by YouTuber Nick Shirley went viral right before New Year's Day.—
Verb
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The radical republic that replaced it bore little resemblance to the partner of 1778, having descended into chaos, executions, and ideological extremism that threatened neighboring states.—
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Middle East efforts In Bulgaria, Mladenov held the position of defense minister for a year, before serving as foreign minister from 2010-13, during the uprisings in the Middle East known as the Arab Spring when Syria also descended into civil war.—
Verb
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When the results came back benign, Reece’s anxiety only deepened.—
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When oil prices slid and mismanagement came due, the country staggered into hyperinflation, shortages, and mass migration, culminating in a full‑blown humanitarian crisis that outlived Chávez and deepened under his successor, Nicolás Maduro.—
Verb
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Since the mandate, neural tube defects have dramatically declined in almost every single ethnic population except for Latinos, according to Jaffery.—
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Wiener declined to answer the question in either direction.—
Verb
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Contrary to popular opinion, getting dressed does not need to be complicated — just take it from Pamela Anderson.—
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Pedroia’s Hall of Fame candidacy has always been complicated.—
Cite this Entry
“Worsened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worsened. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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