worst-case scenario
Most dire outcome
A worst-case scenario is the most unfavorable outcome that could plausibly happen in a given situation.
The phrase is common in planning and risk assessment, where anticipating the worst helps prepare for it: In the worst-case scenario, we lose the whole investment.
Often shortened to worst case: Worst case, we start over.
Sudden ruinous event
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
- apocalypseTotal civilizational collapse
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
- collapseSudden structural failure
devastation · destruction · ruin · annihilation · crisis · emergency · pandemic · famine
Emotional response to threat
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- worryTroubled mental state
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
nervousness · stress · unease · paranoia · overthinking · catastrophizing · spiraling · rumination
Uncertain possible event
- preparationArranging things in advance
- mitigationReduction of severity
- risk assessmentEvaluating likelihood of harm
- backup planAlternative if primary fails
safeguard · emergency plan · failsafe · protocol · simulation · stress test · redundancy · insurance
Assumed but unproven
- assumptionUnverified belief accepted as true
- projectionSomething that extends outward
- forecastPrediction of future conditions
- predictionForecast of coming events
modeling · extrapolation · estimation · probability · likelihood · possibility · conjecture · supposition
disaster
Sudden ruinous event
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
- apocalypseTotal civilizational collapse
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
collapse · devastation · destruction · ruin · annihilation · crisis · emergency · pandemic · famine · earthquake
fear
Emotional response to threat
apprehension · nervousness · stress · unease · paranoia · overthinking · catastrophizing · spiraling · rumination · sleeplessness
contingency
Uncertain possible event
- preparationArranging things in advance
- mitigationReduction of severity
- risk assessmentEvaluating likelihood of harm
backup plan · safeguard · emergency plan · failsafe · protocol · simulation · stress test · redundancy · insurance · hedge
hypothetical
Assumed but unproven
- assumptionUnverified belief accepted as true
- projectionSomething that extends outward
- forecastPrediction of future conditions
prediction · modeling · extrapolation · estimation · probability · likelihood · possibility · conjecture · supposition · thought experiment
- preparednessreadiness, preparedness, foresight, forethought, precaution
- teststest, tests, exam, exams, quiz
worst-case scenariobest-case scenario
Most favorable potential outcome
dream scenario · fairy-tale ending · happy ending · windfall · jackpot
worst, worse, worsen, scenario, worsening, worsened, worsts, worser, worst-case