Word that means change for the worse

Idioms are an important part of the English language. The sooner you can get the hang of them, the better off you’re going to be with them. Let’s look at whether it’s change for the worse or worst and see how we can use the two phrases (if they’re both correct).

The correct spelling is “change for the worse,” and “change for the worst” is incorrect and should not be used. “Worse” is a comparative adjective that shows that something has generally trended downwards in quality. “Worst” is a superlative adjective that says something is in the worst condition it could be. When using “change for the worse,” we’re not implying that we’ve got the worst outcome, but rather that something has worsened over time.

What Does It Mean To “Change For The Worse”?

When something “changes for the worse,” it means that whatever was happening before has gotten slightly worse over time. That means that where it was once a good situation or happening, it is now considered more of a bad one. Whether something has directly changed to impact the outcome or something has gradually been removed over time, anything can “change for the worse” with a bit of time.

You can use this phrase for a variety of different things. You can talk about people’s attitudes, looks, or personalities, you can talk about activities and the fun you have doing them, you can talk about places you’ve been and remember how they used to be. The possibilities are endless. As long as something can change negatively, you can say it “changed for the worse.”

What Is The Difference Between Using “Worse” And “Worst”?

As mentioned above, “worse” is the comparative adjective, and “worst” is the superlative adjective. A comparative adjective is used to compare two objects and show how one does compared to another. A superlative adjective is used to show that one object is by far the furthest down the comparison line compared to any other object around.

You can flip it around and look at the opposites of “worse” (being “better”) and “worst” (being “best”). This shows objects on the other end of the spectrum being in the best possible condition they can be in.

9 Examples Of How To Use “Worse” In A Sentence

Let’s go through a few examples of using the comparative adjective “worse” in a sentence. We won’t worry too much about the phrase “change for the worse,” though we’ll include it in a few of them since that’s the main point of our article. However, it’s important to see how the comparative adjective is used in this sense so you can get an idea for using it yourself.

1. His personality has changed for the worse over the last few years.
2. I hear that this sandwich is worse than that one.
3. You’re worse than my mother.
4. This is worse than the time I fell over in a forest and broke my knee.
5. You’re a worse artist than I am!
6. You can’t get worse than that, so I wouldn’t worry about it!
7. We are worse at sports than the other school is.
8. Things have taken a turn for the worse recently.
9. You’re going to look a little worse for wear when you’re done with that.

9 Examples Of How To Use “Worst” In A Sentence

Now, let’s see how the superlative adjective “worst” is used in a sentence. In this case, we’re using it to talk about objects that already don’t have a rival in the context. That means that nothing comes close if we were to look at their “worseness” on a scale. So, the “worst” objects can’t be beaten and are already at the top (or bottom), hence why it’s the superlative form.

1. I’m the worst footballer I know.
2. You’re the worst father a son could ask for.
3. She’s the worst.
4. This school is the worst for grades.
5. I wouldn’t go to that neighborhood. It’s the worst.
6. This place does the worst burgers.
7. Where’s the worst holiday destination you’ve ever been to?
8. What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
9. This is the worst year of my life.

Does “Turn For The Worse” And “Change For The Worse” Have The Same Meaning?

What about the phrase “turn for the worse?” We’ve already used it in one of our examples above, so we thought it would be smart to cover for you to see how we use it. It’s actually very similar in meaning to “change for the worse.” However, certain things are capable of “turning,” while other things are capable of “changing.”

In general, inanimate objects like buildings and activities will “change for the worse” when we do them, and they get progressively worse over time. However, we use “turn for the worse” for animate objects like people or animals. The phrases are interchangeable, though, and it mostly comes down to personal preference which one you’d rather use.

“Change For The Worse” – Synonyms

Let’s finish by looking through a few examples of synonyms for “change for the worse.” Synonyms are a great way to get yourself more familiar with the language. Instead of worrying about the meaning of a phrase or idiom like this, you can focus your attention on learning a more familiar word. More people might be familiar with these examples, and they have the same meaning as “change for the worse” does.

• Deteriorated

This is a simple one-word synonym that means the same thing. Something can “deteriorate” over time to show that it’s gotten progressively worse. It can apply to people, buildings, places, or anything else, just like “change for the worse.”

• Worsened

Rather than using the whole saying, you can take the word “worse” and add “-ned” to the end of it to give you “worsened.” This implies that something has gotten worse over time.

• Regressed

This is a more formal option but works well as a synonym. Generally, you use this in the same way you’d use “turn for the worse.” So, either when you’re talking about people’s personalities or something similar.

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