worsening 1 of 2

noun

as in deterioration

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worsening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of worsen
1
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
2
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
The most active group had less worsening of those motor symptoms than the least active group. — Jennifer Fields, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026 Faster diagnosis can help people with early-stage Alzheimer’s qualify for drugs that can modestly slow the worsening of their symptoms. — Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 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
Verb
The victim went to the campus health clinic in August with worsening finger tingling and numbness, and leg weakness. — Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026 Stocks dropped to their worst day since July on Wednesday after the latest signal that inflation is worsening. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 Professor says the victim is still experiencing symptoms The alleged victim went to the campus health clinic in August with worsening finger tingling and numbness, and leg weakness. — CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 And as always, at the top level, the sport is dependent upon manufacturer largesse, something that usually vanishes in the face of worsening economic outlooks. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026 Many have taken to the streets in towns and neighborhoods to protest the worsening situation, with roadblocks, tire-burning and residents holding up signs criticizing the government for not providing adequate solutions. — Catherine Ellis, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026 The city, the capital of Amazonas state, suspended in-person work at municipal administrative offices, citing worsening air quality. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 But oil revenue has been particularly constrained by theft and pipeline vandalism that has cost the country about $300 billion in recent years, compounding in a worsening security crisis that has hampered the overall economy. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026 Similarly, cyber insurance requirements are also tightening in reaction to a worsening threat landscape. — David Bennett, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worsening
  1. deterioration
  2. deteriorating
  3. deepening
  4. weakening
  5. crumbling
  6. intensifying
  7. failing
  8. declining
Noun
  • Unlike Netflix, Disney is wrestling with the ongoing deterioration of linear TV.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • That creates a different situation when a condition begins with something a resident or guest did rather than deterioration of the building or a maintenance issue.
    — Emma Clapp, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of deterioration
Verb
  • Authorities warned against hiking this route this time of year due to deteriorating conditions and the onset of winter weather.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Malaysia on Friday ordered hundreds of schools closed in several states because of deteriorating air quality.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of deteriorating
Verb
  • There are indications that some of the Central Asian nations present, all of which are post-Soviet states, are deepening diplomatic and economic links with Washington.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party took power following the popular ouster in 2024 of autocratic former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whom India granted sanctuary, deepening the rift between the neighbors.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of deepening
Noun
  • The hurricane center said the storm's intensity could fluctuate over the next few days but would likely maintain hurricane strength through Thursday, with gradual weakening forecast thereafter.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The networks learn to recognize patterns by strengthening and weakening connections between nodes in response to training data.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • The energy crisis coupled with crumbling infrastructure have sent prices of basic goods skyrocketing.
    — Matt Gutman, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The drawing, which depicts a crumbling stone arcade spanning a body of water, is being sold by Oxford, UK, auction house Mallams, where it is expected to fetch between £40,000 and £60,000 ($53,000 to $79,000).
    — News Desk, Artforum, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of crumbling
Verb
  • The move comes amid intensifying geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing, with artificial intelligence emerging as a key battleground in the two countries' race for technological dominance.
    — Jenny Lee,Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Researchers found Stage 3 CTE, intensifying concerns about brain trauma in racing.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of intensifying
Noun
  • In the documentation, the company is candid about its failings.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The Army report highlighted how the air traffic controller at Reagan National Airport could have prevented the crash, but also acknowledged the military’s own failings and other contributing factors.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of failing
Verb
  • Women naturally store less creatine than men, and during perimenopause and menopause, declining estrogen can take a toll on both muscle health and mental clarity.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The result has been sturdy economic growth, even as lower-income and even middle-income households have continued to struggle under stubborn inflation and declining earnings.
    — Rob Wile, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of declining

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Cite this Entry

“Worsening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worsening. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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