WORSENING Synonyms: 99 Similar and Opposite Words

worsening 1 of 2

noun

as in deterioration

Related Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Notably, the study did not find that climate change is worsening the other half of the El Niño Southern Oscillation System — La Niña. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 For critics, the carts are running amok, parking illegally, worsening congestion and unlocking another level of overtourism. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026 South Korea has prohibited its nationals from traveling to Haiti since May 2024 because of the worsening security situation. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 The challenge is to ensure that Tehran does not choose to respond to its worsening position by escalating its attacks and starting another regionwide conflict that ensnares the United States. — James F. Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026 The recent gains for corn prices have been driven in part by a worsening outlook for US yields. — Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 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 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

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

Rapid weakening, however, is expected after the center of the storm moves inland.

— Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
In an interview with CNBC on the sidelines of the G20 meeting, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington wouldn't object if Tokyo intervened to support a weakening yen.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 2 Sep. 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

Verb

The Republican party has promised a return to the good ol’ days, with strong nuclear families at the crux and a fight against the declining birth rate.

— Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Additionally, the drug supply is always changing, with the potency of fentanyl declining in recent years.

— Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of declining

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“Worsening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worsening. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of worsening

noun

verb

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