# worse

/ˈwɝs/ (US) · /wˈɜːs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/worse
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. more bad

adjective · CEFR A2

of lower quality or more unpleasant than something else.

For teachers: the comparative form of 'bad', indicating a lower standard of quality or a greater degree of unpleasantness.

- The weather is even worse today than it was yesterday.
- The economic conditions in the rural provinces are significantly worse than those in the capital, leading to mass migration.

### 2. more severely

adverb · CEFR B1

in a way that is more serious or harmful.

For teachers: the comparative form of 'badly', used to describe actions or states that occur with greater severity or less skill.

- He played worse in the second half of the game.
- The patient's condition began to deteriorate worse than the doctors had initially predicted, requiring immediate surgical intervention.

### 3. the worse thing

noun · CEFR B2

the part of a situation that is less good or more harmful.

For teachers: a thing or circumstance that is of inferior quality or greater severity compared to another.

- The situation took a turn for the worse when it started to rain.
- Despite the intervention, the political climate changed for the worse, resulting in the suspension of diplomatic talks.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'for the worse'.

## Examples

- The weather changed from bad to worse during our walk.
- The doctor warned that the patient's condition might take a turn for the worse before it starts to improve.
- While the initial policy change seemed minor, the eventual outcome proved to be for the worse, leading to a significant decline in local economic stability.

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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.