WORSENING Synonyms: 99 Similar and Opposite Words

worsening 1 of 2

noun

as in deterioration

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Dissimilar Words

worsening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of worsen

as in deteriorating

to become worse or of less value the condition of the house worsened with every year of neglect

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in deepening

to make more severe the harsh winter only worsened the fuel shortage

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of worsening

Noun

Indonesia has pledged to keep subsidized fuel prices unchanged through 2026, which may strain the budget if oil prices rise again due to supply disruptions or a worsening of military confrontations. — Celestine Iyer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 Troubling statistics While many of Kraepelin’s observations were spot on, his views on the disorder causing inevitable worsening were incorrect. — Matthew Kurtz, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026 The filing is backed by a Phase 3 study that showed the drug resulted in significant improvements in overall survival and progression-free survival over standard chemotherapy, along with delayed worsening of pain and quality of life. — Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 23 July 2026 Limited evidence suggests that people with genetic deficiencies of CoQ10 who abruptly stop taking it can experience a worsening of kidney function. — Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 16 June 2026 For example, stopping antidepressants or anxiety medication can lead to severe worsening of the condition or potentially dangerous withdrawals. — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026 People with postexertional malaise, the worsening of symptoms following even minor physical or mental exertion, may be at a higher risk for adverse effects from the therapy, Faghy and Putrino point out. — Clarissa Brincat, Scientific American, 1 June 2026 However, the incidents have contributed to a worsening of the mood around Madrid and should also be considered notable for that reason. — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 5 May 2026 The South Bay has been able to absorb thousands of layoffs yet still avoid a worsening of the jobless rate in the region, Hancock noted. — George Avalos, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026

Verb

Once a rare occurrence, the ominous signal is becoming a more regular event thanks to the worsening climate crisis. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026 Residents accused the maps of worsening the insurance crisis and tanking property values. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 His condition later caused severe hormone problems and worsening vision. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026 Other members of the royal family, including Queen Sonja and the King’s older sister, Princess Astrid, were also seen at the hospital amid the King’s worsening condition. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026 Changes that can diminish and dismantle Head Start during a worsening national childcare crisis are unconscionable and will harm hundreds and thousands of children and families. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026 In 2019, Nichol Cano, an otherwise healthy mother of three in Fresno, California, began experiencing worsening headaches. — Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026 The Lincoln has been at sea for an extended deployment during the Iran war, which sparked concerns among lawmakers and military families after reports of the crew’s worsening mental health and conditions aboard. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 For would-be pirates in a country currently grappling with drought, worsening food insecurity, and shrinking humanitarian assistance, the economic incentives and risk-reward balance may be too tempting to pass up. — Aparajita Saxena, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for worsening

Noun

The City is aware of deterioration to the pavers surrounding the memorial related to the seawall conditions in this section of the Riverwalk.

— Bri Buckley, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
The deterioration in DeepMind’s talent flows coincided with the lab tightening its publication rules, Hurd said, something that Zeki researchers say may have weakened one of the lab’s most important draws for research-minded staff.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of deterioration

Verb

Venezuela's industry has suffered from decades of underinvestment, deteriorating infrastructure and the loss of technical expertise.

— Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
The woods surrounding the cottage also needed work to remove trash, deteriorating hunting structures and invasive species, the letter said.

— John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of deteriorating

Verb

Brent crude climbed back above $90 a barrel and gasoline stayed over $4 a gallon all month, deepening inflation pressures and sharpening expectations the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates again.

— Damian J. Troise, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Salesforce ‘s deepening push into artificial intelligence is showing signs of paying off, and that should continue to benefit its stock, according to Goldman Sachs.

— Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of deepening

Noun

Asked about demand amid geopolitical uncertainty and extreme heat in Europe, Kirby said the airline had seen no meaningful weakening.

— Doyinsola Oladipo, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Forecasters said Lala would cross the waters of the marine national monument for a few days at hurricane strength despite some gradual weakening.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of weakening

Verb

On a nearby section of the coast, crews have been placing rock to shore up a crumbling coastline and keep nearby trains running.

— Robert Gauthier, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
When a team is crumbling, a rare sturdy presence becomes much more than an afterthought.

— Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of crumbling

Verb

Richard Engel is back in Ukraine to report on its intensifying war with Russia, with a strike this weekend on a warehouse west of Kyiv becoming its deadliest attack this year — more than 38 people were killed.

— NBC News, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026
Bumpy road ahead Beyond political scrutiny, intensifying competition has also added to the company’s struggles in recent years.

— John Liu, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of intensifying

Noun

Modern interpreters have read his 10 heads as signifying his vast knowledge of 10 sacred texts, or alternately his 10 ethical failings, but the Ramayana account describes him as 10-headed from birth.

— Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
The instinct for many researchers is to treat uncertainty as a failing, something to paper over before anyone notices.

— Aleeza Gerstein, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of failing

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“Worsening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worsening. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of worsening

noun

verb

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