Looking for synonyms for make worse? We’ve got you covered!
Here’s a list of other ways to say make worse.
- Exacerbate
- Aggravate
- Worsen
- Amplify
- Escalate
- Compound
- Intensify
- Deteriorate
- Degenerate
- Heighten
- Magnify
- Inflate
- Increase
- Deepen
- Accelerate
- Augment
- Boost
- Expand
- Enhance (in a negative context)
- Prolong
Want to learn how to say make worse professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.
1. Exacerbate
Use when: Emphasizing the worsening of a situation, often due to an additional factor.
Example: “Delaying the project deadline may exacerbate our staffing challenges.”
2. Aggravate
Use when: Highlighting an increase in severity or annoyance, often in a situation already problematic.
Example: “The new regulations could aggravate the company’s financial difficulties.”
3. Worsen
Use when: Describing a general decline in condition or quality.
Example: “Market fluctuations are expected to worsen our quarterly earnings.”
4. Amplify
Use when: Indicating an increase in magnitude or intensity, especially of a problem or issue.
Example: “Inaccurate reporting only serves to amplify the crisis’s perceived impact.”
5. Escalate
Use when: Referring to a situation that is increasing in intensity or severity over time.
Example: “Costs continue to escalate due to unforeseen supply chain disruptions.”
6. Compound
Use when: Describing a situation where multiple factors combine to create a worse effect.
Example: “The equipment failure compounded our production delays.”
7. Intensify
Use when: Indicating an increase in degree, force, or severity.
Example: “Competitive pressures are expected to intensify over the next quarter.”
8. Deteriorate
Use when: Describing a decline in quality, condition, or strength.
Example: “The client’s satisfaction with our services has begun to deteriorate.”
9. Degenerate
Use when: Indicating a decline to a lower state or condition, often in moral or ethical contexts.
Example: “The discussion quickly degenerated into a counterproductive argument.”
10. Heighten
Use when: Referring to an increase in amount or intensity.
Example: “The recent product recall has heightened concerns about quality control.”
11. Magnify
Use when: Describing an increase in the apparent size, importance, or effect of something.
Example: “Poor communication can magnify the problems within a team.”
12. Inflate
Use when: Suggesting an increase in something, often more than is reasonable or desirable.
Example: “Speculation has inflated market expectations unrealistically.”
13. Increase
Use when: Indicating a simple rise in quantity, size, or extent.
Example: “The demand for our services has increased, leading to longer wait times.”
14. Deepen
Use when: Suggesting a situation becoming more intense or severe.
Example: “The ongoing dispute has deepened the division within the department.”
15. Accelerate
Use when: Indicating a situation that is speeding up or growing quickly.
Example: “Changes in regulation may accelerate the risks to our project timelines.”
16. Augment
Use when: Referring to making something greater, often used in a negative context.
Example: “Unplanned expenses continue to augment our budget deficit.”
17. Boost
Use when: Suggesting an increase or enhancement, often used negatively for problems or challenges.
Example: “Misinformation has boosted public mistrust in the initiative.”
18. Expand
Use when: Describing a situation or problem becoming larger or more extensive.
Example: “The scope of the investigation has expanded, involving more departments.”
19. Enhance (in a negative context)
Use when: Usually a positive term, but can be used negatively to mean increasing the severity or impact of a problem.
Example: “The lack of clear communication has enhanced the complexities of the project.”
20. Prolong
Use when: Indicating an extension of duration, often leading to worsening conditions.
Example: “The delay in decision-making has prolonged the uncertainty among employees.”
