comparative of bad
or of ill
1
: of more inferior quality, value, or condition
2
a
: more unfavorable, difficult, unpleasant, or painful
b
: more faulty, unsuitable, or incorrect
c
: less skillful or efficient
3
: bad, evil, or corrupt in a greater degree : more reprehensible
4
: being in poorer health : sicker
: one that is worse
threatened expulsion and worse
comparative of bad
or badly
or of ill
or illy
1
: in a worse manner : to a worse extent or degree
2
: what is worse
Examples of worse in a Sentence
Adjective
His schoolwork got worse after his parents split up.
Her second book was worse than her first one.
Her first book was bad, but her second one is even worse.
This one is no worse than that one.
Could the situation get any worse?
You have even worse luck than I do.
It turned out to be a worse idea than we originally thought.
She ended up in worse shape than when she started.
Things are bad for him now, but he was in a worse situation last week.
Cheer up. Things could be worse, you know.
Noun
I didn't want to tell her that worse was yet to come.
Her accusations don't bother me. I've been accused of worse.
When I lost my job, my life took a turn for the worse.
Adverb
I did much worse on my second try.
You drive worse than he does.
That isn't an excellent score, but you could have done worse.
She was hurt worse than I was.
Recent Examples on the Web
Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 13 Feb. 2023
Donovan looked to the four-point deficit with a sense of relief — things could be much, much worse.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2023
John Kass, chicagotribune.com, 27 Mar. 2018
Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Nov. 2024
As Vice President Harris performed far worse across the state than President Biden did in 2020, Democratic hopes quickly fizzled.
—Saul Elbein, The Hill, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for worse 
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Adjective
In the meantime, practicing some good nail care habits recommended by the National Psoriasis Foundation can help keep nail psoriasis from getting worse.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 13 Feb. 2023
Donovan looked to the four-point deficit with a sense of relief — things could be much, much worse.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2023
Noun
What made the prejudice worse was that the entire institutional infrastructure of college basketball was in on it; coaches, athletic directors and alumni.
—John Kass, chicagotribune.com, 27 Mar. 2018
Adverb
That confluence of freedom and at the end of it, way too much freedom and adulthood make people behave even worse and create a microcosm, again, in which all of this behavior is somehow ritualized and recognized as appropriate.
—Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Nov. 2024
As Vice President Harris performed far worse across the state than President Biden did in 2020, Democratic hopes quickly fizzled.
—Saul Elbein, The Hill, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for worse
Articles Related to worse
Dictionary Entries Near worse
Cite this Entry
“Worse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worse. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
worse
1 of 3 adjectivecomparative of bad
or of ill
1
: of poorer quality, value, or condition
that car is in worse shape than the one you sold
2
a
: more unfavorable, unpleasant, or painful
a worse punishment
b
: more faulty, unsuitable, or incorrect
can't imagine worse ideas
c
: less skillful or efficient
worse than any mechanic I know
3
: being in poorer health
the child was worse the next day
4
: bad or evil in greater degree
whether stealing is worse than cheating
worse
2 of 3 noun1
: something worse
threatened detention and worse
2
: a greater degree of ill or badness
a turn for the worse
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