The worst is the most unpleasant or unfavourable thing that could happen or does happen.
Though mine safety has much improved, miners' families still fear the worst.
The country had come through the worst of the recession. [+ of]
4.
Worst is used to form the superlative of compound adjectives beginning with 'bad' and 'badly'. For example, the superlative of 'badly-affected' is 'worst-affected'.
5.
See worst of all
6.
See at (the) worst
7.
See at one's worst
8.
See if the worst comes to the worst
9.
See to do one's worst
More Synonyms of worst
worst in British English
(wɜːst)
adjective
1. the superlative of bad1
adverb
2.
in the most extreme or bad manner or degree
3.
least well, suitably, or acceptably
4. (in combination)
in or to the smallest degree or extent; least
worst-loved
noun
5. the worst
6. (often preceded by at)
the most poor, unpleasant, or unskilled quality or condition
television is at its worst these days
7.
the greatest amount of damage or wickedness of which a person or group is capable
the invaders came and did their worst
8.
the weakest effort or poorest achievement that a person or group is capable of making
the applicant did his worst at the test because he did not want the job
9. the worst
10. if the worst comes to the worst
11. come off worst
verb
12. (transitive)
to get the advantage over; defeat or beat
Word origin
Old English wierrest; related to Old Frisian wersta, Old Saxon, Old High German wirsisto, Old Norse verstr
worst in American English
(wɜrst)
adjective
1. superl. of
bad1, ill1
2.
a.
bad, evil, harmful, unpleasant, etc. in the highest degree; least good
b.
of the lowest quality or condition
3.
in the least favorable condition or least satisfactory situation
adverb
4. superl. of
badly, ill1
5.
in the worst manner
6.
to a degree that is most bad, evil, unpleasant, etc.
noun
7.
that which is worst
verb transitive
8.
to get the better of; defeat
Idioms:
at worst
give someone the worst of it
if (the) worst comes to (the) worst
(in) the worst way
make the worst of
Word origin
ME worste < OE wyrsta, wierresta < base of wiersa, bad1 adjective + -st, superl. suffix
More idioms containing
worst
the worst of both worlds
Examples of 'worst' in a sentence
worst
Those taking it daily for more than six months were worst affected.
The Sun (2015)
He said that it was a terrible injustice that the most vulnerable nations were worst affected.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Ironically, those who applied by the post were worst affected.
The Sun (2013)
In other languages
worst
British English: worst /wɜːst/ ADJECTIVE
Worst is the superlative of bad. It means most bad.
American English: worst
Arabic: الَأسْوَأ
Brazilian Portuguese: o pior
Chinese: 最坏的
Croatian: najgori
Czech: nejhorší
Danish: værst
Dutch: slechtst
European Spanish: pésimo el peor
Finnish: pahin
French: pire
German: schlechtester
Greek: χείριστος
Italian: peggiore
Japanese: 最悪の
Korean: 가장 나쁜
Norwegian: verst
Polish: najgorszy
European Portuguese: o pior
Romanian: cel mai rău
Russian: наихудший
Latin American Spanish: pésimo
Swedish: värst
Thai: เลวที่สุด
Turkish: en kötü
Ukrainian: найгірший
Vietnamese: xấu nhất
British English: worst NOUN
The worst is the most unpleasant or unfavourable thing that could happen or does happen.
Though mine safety has much improved, miners' families still fear the worst.
American English: worst
Brazilian Portuguese: pior
Chinese: 最糟糕的情况
European Spanish: lo peor
French: pire
German: Schlimmste
Italian: peggio
Japanese: 最悪の事態
Korean: 최악
European Portuguese: o pior
Latin American Spanish: lo peor
All related terms of 'worst'
bad
Something that is bad is unpleasant, harmful, or undesirable .
badder
not good; of poor quality; inadequate ; inferior
baddest
not good; of poor quality; inadequate ; inferior
badly
If something is done badly or goes badly , it is not very successful or effective .
ill
Someone who is ill is suffering from a disease or a health problem .
illy
badly
at worst
under the worst circumstances ; at the greatest disadvantage
the worst
the least good or most inferior person, thing, or part in a group, narrative , etc
worst off
→ the worst off
least-worst
bad but better than any available alternative
worst case
a situation in which the most unfavourable conditions prevail
worst nightmare
If you refer to a situation as a nightmare , you mean that it is very frightening and unpleasant.
worst of all
You say worst of all to indicate that what you are about to mention is the most unpleasant or has the most disadvantages out of all the things you are mentioning.
worst offender
You can refer to someone or something which you think is causing a problem as an offender .
worst scenario
If you talk about a likely or possible scenario , you are talking about the way in which a situation may develop.
at one's worst
When someone is at their worst , they are as unpleasant , bad , or unsuccessful as it is possible for them to be.
at (the) worst
You use at worst or at the worst to indicate that you are mentioning the worst thing that might happen in a situation .
come off worst
to enjoy the least benefit from an issue or be defeated in it
the worst off
those people who are in the worst situation
badly off
If you are badly off , you are in a bad situation.
bad off
badly off; poor
(in) the worst way
very much; greatly
make the worst of
to be pessimistic about
to do one's worst
If someone does their worst , they do everything unpleasant that they can possibly do. You can say ' do your worst ' to show someone that you are not frightened of what they may do.
if the worst comes to the worst
You use if the worst comes to the worst to say what you might do if a situation develops in the most unfavourable way possible. The form if worst comes to worst is also used, mainly in American English.
the worst of both worlds
all the problems and disadvantages of two different things without any of the benefits and advantages
give someone the worst of it
to defeat or get the better of someone
if worst comes to worst/if the worst comes to the worst
You use if worst comes to worst or if the worst comes to the worst to say what you might do if a situation develops in the most unfavorable way possible .
Chinese translation of 'worst'
worst
(wəːst)
adj
(superlative of bad) 最坏(壞)的 (zuì huài de)
adv
(superlative of badly) 最糟地 (zuì zāo de)
n(s/u)
最坏(壞)的事 (zuì huài de shì)
at worst在最坏(壞)的情况(況)下 (zài zuì huài de qíngkuàng xià)
if the worst comes to the worst如果最坏(壞)的事情发(發)生 (rúguǒ zuì huài de shìqing fāshēng)
at one's worst在最糟糕的状(狀)态(態)下 (zài zuì zāogāo de zhuàngtài xià)
Seeworse
All related terms of 'worst'
ill
( sick ) 有病的 yǒubìng de
at worst
在最坏(壞)的情况(況)下 zài zuì huài de qíngkuàng xià
at one's worst
在最糟糕的状(狀)态(態)下 zài zuì zāogāo de zhuàngtài xià
if the worst comes to the worst
如果最坏(壞)的事情发(發)生 rúguǒ zuì huài de shìqing fāshēng
to come off best/worst etc
表现(現)最佳/最差 等 biǎoxiàn zuì jiā/zuì chà děng
the best/worst film of all time
有史以来(來)最好/最差的电(電)影 yǒu shǐ yǐ lái zuì hǎo/zuì chà de diànyǐng