- more problems or bad news
- I'm afraid there is worse to come.
- McPherson was sent off for a tackle on Mendes. Worse followed when Yardley gave Saints the lead.
Word OriginOld English wyrsa, wiersa (adjective), wiers (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to war.
Idioms
See worse in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee worse in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishbe none the worse (for something)
- to not be harmed by something
- The kids were none the worse for their adventure.
a change for the better/worse
- a person, thing, situation, etc. that is better/worse than the previous or present one
- Voters see the new leader as a change for the better.
- I reckon we've all made a big change for the better.
- His family had detected a change for the worse in his behaviour.
for better or (for) worse
- used to say that something cannot be changed, whether the result is good or bad
so much the better/worse
- used to say that something is even better/worse
- We don't actually need it on Tuesday, but if it arrives by then, so much the better.
- If hurricanes become more powerful, as current research suggests, so much the worse.
the worse for wear (informal)
- in a poor condition because of being used a lot
- drunk
- He arrived home at two in the morning, much the worse for wear.
Check pronunciation:
worse