Worsen means to get worse, or to make something worse. It works both ways with no change of form: 'his condition worsened' (it got worse by itself) and 'the delay worsened the situation' (something made it worse). Grammar books call this an ergative verb; you just need to know both patterns are correct.

Worsen means to get worse, or to make something worse.worsen的意思是變得更糟，或是讓某件事變得更糟。It works both ways with no change of form這兩種用法用的是同一個形式，不需要變化: 'his condition worsened' (it got worse by itself)「his condition worsened」（自己變得更糟） and 'the delay worsened the situation' (something made it worse)和「the delay worsened the situation」（有東西讓它變得更糟）。Grammar books call this an ergative verb文法書把這種動詞叫做作格動詞; you just need to know both patterns are correct你只需要知道這兩種句型都是對的。

The word is formal and belongs to news, medicine, and reports — worsening weather, a worsening shortage, symptoms that worsen at night. In ordinary conversation people almost always say 'get worse' instead: 'my cold got worse', not 'my cold worsened'. Using worsen with friends will sound like you are reading the news out loud, which is fine to know and fine to avoid.

The word is formal and belongs to news, medicine, and reports這個字是正式用字，屬於新聞、醫療和報告的用語 — worsening weather, a worsening shortage, symptoms that worsen at night像worsening weather、a worsening shortage、症狀在晚上worsen。In ordinary conversation people almost always say 'get worse' instead在日常對話中人們幾乎都會說get worse來代替: 'my cold got worse', not 'my cold worsened'「my cold got worse」，不會說「my cold worsened」。Using worsen with friends will sound like you are reading the news out loud跟朋友講話用worsen會聽起來像在唸新聞稿, which is fine to know and fine to avoid知道這個字沒關係，不用也沒關係。

The present participle 'worsening' is very common as an adjective before a noun: a worsening crisis, worsening air quality.

The present participle 'worsening' is very common as an adjective before a noun現在分詞worsening常常當形容詞放在名詞前面: a worsening crisis, worsening air qualitya worsening crisis、worsening air quality。

Built from 'worse' plus -en, the ending that makes a verb from an adjective — the same -en as in widen, harden, and sharpen. Notice that English took the comparative 'worse' as its base, not a plain adjective; that is unusual, and it is why there is no verb 'to bad'.

Built from 'worse' plus -en由worse加上-en組成, the ending that makes a verb from an adjective這個字尾能把形容詞變成動詞 — the same -en as in widen, harden, and sharpen跟widen、harden、sharpen裡的-en是同一個。Notice that English took the comparative 'worse' as its base要注意英文是拿比較級worse當作字根的, not a plain adjective而不是原級形容詞; that is unusual這很不尋常, and it is why there is no verb 'to bad'這也是為什麼沒有「to bad」這個動詞。