Synonyms for worsen
Most common
exacerbate aggravate deteriorate exasperate decline go south defeat
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Exacerbate — to make worse; to impair
exacerbate, aggravate, deteriorate, exasperate, weaken, suffer, hurt, degrade, impair, degenerate, injure, debase, corrupt, retrograde, uplift, nerf, vitiate
2. Decline — to become worse; to get worse
Definitions
- v. 1
To make worse; to impair.
Global warming has worsened the weather.
- v. 2
To become worse; to get worse.
The weather has worsened.
- v. 3
To get the better of; to worst.
Related words
- Is a kind of
- happen
Forms
- Past participle
- worsened
e.g. worsened → exacerbated, aggravated, deteriorated, exasperated…
Example sentences
- deteriorate Boldi's eyesight began to deteriorate drastically.
- exacerbate Global warming could exacerbate desertification in Algeria.
- aggravate The taunts at the end of the match failed to aggravate Tom.
- exasperate Sorry, I didn't mean to exasperate you with my endless questions.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| worsen | rising | |
| deteriorate | steady | |
| exacerbate | rising | |
| aggravate | falling | |
| exasperate | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- hurt1, nerf
- 6 letters
- suffer2, defeat2, weaken2, injure2, uplift2, impair2, debase2, badden
- 7 letters
- decline2, corrupt2, degrade2, vitiate3
- 9 letters
- overpower4, aggravate3
- 10 letters
- degenerate4, retrograde3, exacerbate4, exasperate4
- 11 letters
- deteriorate5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (suffer2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- empirer
- Italiano
- peggiorare
- Español
- empeorar