Categories: GeneralSynonyms

WORSEN: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for WORSEN?

Need another word that means the same as “worsen”? Find 20 synonyms and 30 related words for “worsen” in this overview.

Table Of Contents:

Worsen as a Verb
Definitions of "Worsen" as a verb
Synonyms of "Worsen" as a verb (20 Words)
Usage Examples of "Worsen" as a verb
Associations of "Worsen" (30 Words)

The synonyms of “Worsen” are: decline, aggravate, exacerbate, exasperate, make worse, compound, add to, intensify, increase, magnify, heighten, inflame, augment, deteriorate, degenerate, become worse, get worse, grow worse, take a turn for the worse, weaken

Worsen as a Verb

Definitions of "Worsen" as a verb

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “worsen” as a verb can have the following definitions:

Grow worse.
Make or become worse.
Make worse.

Synonyms of "Worsen" as a verb (20 Words)

add to	Determine the sum of.
aggravate	Make (a problem, injury, or offence) worse or more serious. Military action would only aggravate* the situation.*
augment	Grow or intensify. He augmented his summer income by painting houses.
become worse	Enter or assume a certain state or condition.
compound	Reckon (interest) on previously accumulated interest. Prisoners lack of contact with the outside world compounds their problems.
decline	(typically of something regarded as good) become smaller, fewer, or less; decrease. Her health began to decline.
degenerate	Grow worse. The quality of life had degenerated.
deteriorate	Grow worse. Her condition deteriorated.
exacerbate	Exasperate or irritate. The strong pound has exacerbated the situation by making it much harder for UK companies to compete on price.
exasperate	Exasperate or irritate. This futile process exasperates prison officers.
get worse	Move into a desired direction of discourse.
grow worse	Increase in size by natural process.
heighten	Increase the height of. The stage will be extended heightening the grid by 3 4 metres.
increase	Become bigger or greater in amount. The university increased the number of students it admitted.
inflame	Become inflamed get sore. The repetitive motion inflamed her joint.
intensify	Make more intense, stronger, or more marked. The dispute began to intensify.
magnify	Increase in size, volume or significance. Praise the Lord and magnify* Him.*
make worse	Achieve a point or goal.
take a turn for the worse	Be designed to hold or take.
weaken	Reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of. The prisoner s resistance weakened after seven days.

Usage Examples of "Worsen" as a verb

Arguing actually worsens the problem.
Conditions in the slum worsened.
Her condition worsened on the flight.

Associations of "Worsen" (30 Words)

aggravate	Make worse. Military action would only aggravate* the situation.*
aggravating	Making worse. She found him thoroughly aggravating* and unprofessional.*
aggravation	Action that makes a problem or a disease (or its symptoms) worse. The whole business has caused me a lot of aggravation.
agitate	Cause to be agitated excited or roused. The thought of questioning Toby agitated him extremely.
anger	Fill someone with anger provoke anger in. He was angered that he had not been told.
annoy	Cause annoyance in disturb especially by minor irritations. A gallant Saxon who annoyed this Coast.
attritional	Relating to or caused by attrition.
counteract	Oppose or check by a counteraction. Should we deliberately intervene in the climate system to counteract* global warming.*
debase	Corrupt debase or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones. The King was forced to debase* the coinage.*
debasement	Being mixed with extraneous material; the product of adulterating. The outcome is rot and debasement* of the system.*
decline	(especially of the sun) move downwards. The birth rate continued to decline.
degeneracy	Moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles. The degeneracy* of later Roman work.*
degenerate	An immoral or corrupt person. The quality of life had degenerated.
degeneration	Passing from a more complex to a simpler biological form. Degeneration of the muscle fibres.
deteriorate	Become progressively worse. His mind deteriorated.
devolve	(of property) be transferred from one owner to (another), especially by inheritance. His duties devolved on a comrade.
downturn	A decline in economic, business, or other activity. The market took a downturn.
enrage	Make (someone) very angry. The students were enraged at these new rules.
exacerbate	Exasperate or irritate. The exorbitant cost of land in urban areas only exacerbated the problem.
exasperate	Exasperate or irritate. This futile process exasperates prison officers.
inconvenient	Not conveniently timed. It is inconvenient* not to have a telephone in the kitchen.*
irritating	Causing irritation to a body part. Bites of black flies are more than irritating* they can be very painful.*
irritation	The neural or electrical arousal of an organ or muscle or gland. Some chemicals cause a direct irritation* to the skin leading to dermatitis.*
nettle	Sting with nettles. I was only asking Jess said nettled.
provocation	Action or speech held to be likely to prompt physical retaliation. The result was a provocation* of vigorous investigation.*
rage	A vehement desire or passion. He raged at the futility of it all.
retrogression	The process of returning to an earlier state, typically a worse one. A retrogression* to 19th century attitudes.*
vex	Be annoyed, irritated, or unhappy. A vexing problem.
wane	(of the moon) have a progressively smaller part of its visible surface illuminated, so that it appears to decrease in size. Interest in the project waned.
worse	Changed for the worse in health or fitness. He did worse* on the second exam.*