Worsening Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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worsening

[ˈwəːs(ə)nɪŋ ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

medical

The process of becoming worse in condition or quality.

Synonyms

decline, deteriorating, deterioration.

Examples of usage

  • The patient's condition showed a worsening over the past few days.
  • The worsening of air quality in the city is a major concern for public health.
Context #2 | Verb

general

To make or become worse.

Synonyms

decline, deteriorate, deteriorating.

Examples of usage

  • The situation is worsening with each passing day.
  • Her health has been worsening since last week.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Psychology

  • In behavioral psychology, worsening conditions can lead to increased anxiety or depression if not addressed.
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy often focuses on identifying thoughts that can lead to a worsening situation, promoting positive change.
  • The 'negativity bias' state that humans are more likely to focus on bad experiences, thus potentially worsening their mood.

Health

  • In medical contexts, symptoms that worsen over time can indicate a more serious underlying condition.
  • Tracking the worsening of symptoms is crucial for doctors to determine effective treatments.
  • Chronic illnesses often have phases of worsening, known as exacerbations, prompting a need for intervention.

Economics

  • Economic downturns are often described as worsening recessions, highlighting increasing unemployment and declining growth.
  • Factors such as inflation and market instability can contribute to the worsening economic conditions for consumers.
  • Research in economics focuses on identifying signals that suggest when a market is worsening, aiming to avert crises.

Technology

  • Software glitches often lead to worsening user experience, sparking urgent updates and fixes from developers.
  • In cybersecurity, a system's vulnerability can worsen over time if not patched, increasing the risk of breaches.
  • Data overfitting in machine learning models can lead to worsening performance on new datasets, emphasizing the need for balanced training.

Origin of 'worsening'

Main points about word origin

  • The word 'worsening' comes from the Old English word 'wyrsan', meaning to become worse.
  • It is formed by adding the suffix '-ing' to 'worse', indicating the action of getting worse.
  • The comparative form of 'bad' in English, 'worse', has been used since at least the early 14th century.

The word 'worsening' is derived from the verb 'worsen', which dates back to the late 16th century. It is formed by adding the suffix -ing to the word 'worse', which has Old English and Germanic roots. The concept of something becoming worse over time is universal, and 'worsening' encapsulates this idea succinctly.


See also: worse, worsen.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #16,127, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.