# worse

Pronunciation: say "WURS" US /wɝs/, UK /wɜːs/

## Adjective

1. Comparative of bad. — comparative form of bad: more bad
   - Simple: Comparative of bad. Use this when one thing is more bad than another.
   - _This year's harvest was worse than last year's._
   - _The roads are worse after the heavy rain._

## Adverb

2. Comparative of badly. — comparative form of badly (adverb): more badly
   - Simple: Comparative of badly. Use this to say something is done more badly than before.
   - _She performed worse under pressure than in rehearsal._
   - _The machine ran worse after the careless repair._
3. To a more severe or more serious degree than before.
   - Simple: In a more serious or more severe way.
   - _The infection spread worse than the doctors had feared._
   - _He was injured worse than anyone else in the crash._
4. In a manner showing less skill or competence.
   - Simple: In a way that shows less skill than before.
   - _The new hire handled customers worse than the trainee._
   - _He cooks worse than anyone I know, yet he loves it._
6. Used to introduce a statement more serious or more troubling than what was just said.
   - Simple: Used to begin a sentence that adds something more bad than what was said before.
   - _The funding was cut; worse, the deadline stayed the same._
   - _She missed the flight, and worse, her luggage flew without her._

## Noun

5. The less good of two things, or a more unfavorable outcome.
   - Simple: The less good of two things or choices.
   - _Of the two outcomes, the worse came to pass._
   - _Their finances changed for the worse after the layoffs._

## Verb

7. To make worse; to put at a disadvantage; to defeat or get the better of. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To defeat someone or put them at a disadvantage.
   - _The captain hoped to worse the enemy with a surprise march._
   - _Sharp lawyers worse their opponents long before the trial begins._

## Noun

8. A loss, disadvantage, or defeat suffered by someone. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A loss, defeat, or disadvantage.
   - _The defenders had the worse of the engagement and withdrew._
   - _His side met with the worse and sued for peace._

## Origin

From Middle English "worse" or "werse," from Old English "wiersa," from Proto-West Germanic "*wirsiʀō" and Proto-Germanic "*wirsizô." It is related to Dutch "wers."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/worse (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).