worseadjective
uk/wɜːs/us/wɝːs/A2 comparative of bad : more unpleasant, difficult, or severe than before or than something else that is also bad:
The conditions they're living in are worse than we thought.
If the rain gets any worse we'll have to go back.
His manners are even worse than his sister's.
The heat is much worse in the daytime.
get worse
B1 to become more ill, or to become a more severe condition:
My cold seems to be getting worse.
If he gets any worse I'll take him to the doctor's.
More examples
- I thought the book's writing was dreadful, and its conception even worse.
- The (traffic) congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.
- If the symptoms get worse, consult your doctor.
- Company losses were 50 percent worse than in the corresponding period last year.
- My arguments with the boss got worse and worse, and it all culminated in my deciding to change jobs.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Worse and worst
- aggravating
- aggravation
- at worst idiom
- be in a different league idiom
- below/under par idiom
- can't hold a candle to idiom
- dark
- half
- hold
- match
- not in the same league idiom
- not the same idiom
- pale imitation
- pale in comparison idiom
- rub
- touch
- villain
- worse off
- worst
- worst-case
See more results »
Idiom(s)
make matters worse
worse luck
worsenoun [ U ]
uk/wɜːs/us/wɝːs/C1 something that is more unpleasant or difficult:
By the third month of the expedition they had endured many hardships, but worse was to follow.
"What about the bride's dress - wasn't it terrible?" "I don't know, I've seen worse."
Compare
better noun
More examples
- The rain was heavy then, but worse was to come.
- His speech was a bit boring, but I've heard worse.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Worse and worst
- aggravating
- aggravation
- at worst idiom
- be in a different league idiom
- below/under par idiom
- can't hold a candle to idiom
- dark
- half
- hold
- match
- not in the same league idiom
- not the same idiom
- pale imitation
- pale in comparison idiom
- rub
- touch
- villain
- worse off
- worst
- worst-case
See more results »
Idiom(s)
be none the worse
for the worse
the worse for drink
the worse for wear
worseadverb
uk/wɜːs/us/wɝːs/B1 comparative of badly :
He did worse than he was expecting in the exams.
He was treated much worse than I was.
More examples
- I always come off worse when we argue.
- He played the violin even worse than his sister.
- He couldn't have done the job worse if he'd tried.
- I'm not very good at sewing, but she did it even worse than me.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Worse and worst
- aggravating
- aggravation
- at worst idiom
- be in a different league idiom
- below/under par idiom
- can't hold a candle to idiom
- dark
- half
- hold
- match
- not in the same league idiom
- not the same idiom
- pale imitation
- pale in comparison idiom
- rub
- touch
- villain
- worse off
- worst
- worst-case
See more results »