# worst comes to worst

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/worst-comes-to-worst
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

If a possible worst-case scenario actually occurs.

## Examples

- If worst comes to worst, we can take the bus.
- If worst comes to worst, we just order a pizza for the guests.
- I have enough savings to pay the rent for two months if worst comes to worst and I lose my job.
- You should bring a physical map for the hike because if worst comes to worst and your phone dies, you will still find your way back.
- The climbers carried extra supplies, knowing that if worst comes to worst, they might have to spend an unplanned night on the mountain.

## Origin

The idiom appears in its original form as "if the worst come to the worst," employing the subjunctive to suggest a hypothetical decline from a bad state to a final one. The construction implies a progression where the worst possible outcome transitions from a mere potentiality to the worst possible reality. Modern usage frequently retains the two definite articles found in the earliest records. Several dictionaries continue to cite this specific arrangement as the only standard form for British English.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.