TOP

Definition of worsen verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

worsen

verb
 
/ˈwɜːsn/
 
/ˈwɜːrsn/
[intransitive, transitive]
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they worsen
 
/ˈwɜːsn/
 
/ˈwɜːrsn/
he / she / it worsens
 
/ˈwɜːsnz/
 
/ˈwɜːrsnz/
past simple worsened
 
/ˈwɜːsnd/
 
/ˈwɜːrsnd/
past participle worsened
 
/ˈwɜːsnd/
 
/ˈwɜːrsnd/
-ing form worsening
 
/ˈwɜːsənɪŋ/
 
/ˈwɜːrsənɪŋ/
jump to other results
  1. to become or make something worse than it was before
    • The political situation is steadily worsening.
    • Her health has worsened considerably since we last saw her.
    • worsen something Staff shortages were worsened by the flu epidemic.
    Extra Examples
    • The problem has worsened considerably in recent months.
    • Her symptoms have worsened considerably since we last saw her.
    • With the worsening economic climate we can expect more unemployment.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • considerably
    • dramatically
    • markedly
    verb + worsen
    • continue to
    • be expected to
    • be likely to
    See full entry
See worsen in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee worsen in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
given
adjective
 
 
From the Word list
OPAL spoken words
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day