worse
Further from recovery
Worse is the comparative form of bad—something worse is more unpleasant, severe, or inferior than something else: The pain got worse overnight, His cooking is even worse than mine.
As a noun, worse names the inferior condition: I've seen worse.
To make matters worse is to compound a problem.
The worse for wear describes something damaged or deteriorated.
For the worse indicates negative change: Things took a turn for the worse.
Make a situation worse
- aggravateMake more severe
- compoundCombined into one
- escalateIncrease in severity
- heightenIncrease in degree
deepen · inflame · amplify · magnify · add to · fan the flames · snowball · mushroom
Grow worse over time
- degradeLower in standing
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- declineDecrease or refuse
- degenerateDecline morally or physically
regress · slump · falter · weaken · diminish · wane · ebb · slip
Of lower rank
- substandardBelow required quality
- poorerLess well-off
- shoddierOf lower quality
- second-rateBelow acceptable standards
subpar · mediocre · deficient · inadequate · unsatisfactory · downgrade · lesser · crummier
exacerbate
Make a situation worse
heighten · deepen · inflame · amplify · magnify · add to · fan the flames · snowball · mushroom
deteriorate
Grow worse over time
degenerate · regress · slump · falter · weaken · diminish · wane · ebb · slip · slide
inferior
Of lower rank
- substandardBelow required quality
- poorerLess well-off
- shoddierOf lower quality
second-rate · subpar · mediocre · deficient · inadequate · unsatisfactory · downgrade · lesser · crummier · lousier
graver
More solemn or severe
- qualitative judgmentsgood, bad, better, best, excellent
- comparisoncomparative, contrast, superlative, matching, positive
- conversion wordsbottle, email, elbow, finger, hand
- comparisonscomparison, compare, comparative, analogy, metaphor
- rankingsrankings, first, college rankings, second, third
- wedding vowsI do, I will, to have and to hold, till death do us part, forever
- the worstMost inferior possible
- for better or worseIn any circumstance
- worst enemyUltimate personal adversary
- worse offIn diminished circumstances
- could be worseGrudging mild acceptance
- worst caseMost unfavorable possibility
worst, worsen, worsening, worsened, worsens, worser, worse-off