Meaning & use
worsening
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Getting steadily worse, more serious or more difficult.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: a worsening storm; for after a verb, use the verb: the storm is worsening.
Patterns
- a worsening situation
- worsening conditions
The worsening weather forced them to cancel the hike.
Doctors were concerned about her worsening cough.
The company faces a worsening financial crisis.
nounusually singularformal
A process or period in which something becomes worse.
Grammar: Usually singular and followed by of: a worsening of relations.
Patterns
- a worsening of something
Experts warned of a worsening of the drought.
The worsening of their friendship surprised everyone.
There has been a sharp worsening in air quality.
Common combinations
- worsening conditions
- Rescue teams struggled in worsening conditions.
- worsening symptoms
- Worsening symptoms mean you should see a doctor.
- worsening crisis
- The government faces a worsening crisis.
- worsening relations
- Worsening relations between the two countries worried investors.
- rapidly worsening
- The rapidly worsening storm closed the airport.
Synonyms and how they differ
- deteriorating
- Deteriorating suggests gradual decline in quality or condition and is slightly more formal than worsening.
- declining
- Declining suggests a drop in level or number, while worsening suggests growing badness.
- escalating
- Escalating suggests rising intensity of something like conflict, which need not be a fall in quality.
- aggravated
- Aggravated describes something made worse by an outside cause, while worsening describes the change itself.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: worsening or worsted?
worsening vs worsted
Worsted is a kind of smooth woolen yarn and has nothing to do with getting worse.
Practice
Doctors warned that his ___ condition needed immediate treatment.
Choose one answer.
Worsening means getting worse, which is why treatment is urgent. Improved, stable and recovered all suggest he is fine.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “worsening”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.