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Added 9 October 2026

worst

/wɜːst/ adjective

In Latin: pessimus, nēquissimus, dēterrimus Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about worst at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

superlative form of bad: most bad Most inferior; doing the least good.
I think putting oil on a burn is the worst thing you can do.
Most inferior; doing the least good.
I think putting oil on a burn is the worst thing you can do.
Most unfavorable.
That's the worst news I've had all day.

adverb

superlative form of badly: most badly; least well.
My sore leg hurts worst when it's cold and rainy.

noun

Something or someone that is the worst.

verb

To make worse.
To grow worse; to deteriorate.
To outdo or defeat, especially in battle.

Origin

From Middle English worste, wurste, warste, werste, wirste, from Old English wierrest, from Proto-Germanic *wirsistaz, superlative form of *ubilaz (“bad, evil”); compare worse. Cognate with Old Saxon wirsista, wirrista (“worst”), Old High German wirst, wirsesto, wirsisto (“worst”), Danish værst (“worst”), Swedish värst (“worst”), Icelandic verstur (“worst”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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