WORST

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does worst mean? 

• WORST (noun)
  The noun WORST has 3 senses:

1. the least favorable outcome

2. the greatest damage or wickedness of which one is capable

3. the weakest effort or poorest achievement one is capable of

  Familiarity information: WORST used as a noun is uncommon.

• WORST (adjective)
  The adjective WORST has 1 sense:

1. (superlative of 'bad') most wanting in quality or value or condition

  Familiarity information: WORST used as an adjective is very rare.

• WORST (verb)
  The verb WORST has 1 sense:

1. defeat thoroughly

  Familiarity information: WORST used as a verb is very rare.

• WORST (adverb)
  The adverb WORST has 1 sense:

1. to the highest degree of inferiority or badness

  Familiarity information: WORST used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WORST (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The least favorable outcome

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

the worst that could happen

Hypernyms ("worst" is a kind of...):

final result; outcome; result; resultant; termination (something that results)

Derivation:

worst ((superlative of 'bad') most wanting in quality or value or condition)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The greatest damage or wickedness of which one is capable

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

so pure of heart that his worst is another man's best

Hypernyms ("worst" is a kind of...):

evil; evilness (the quality of being morally wrong in principle or practice)

Derivation:

worst ((superlative of 'bad') most wanting in quality or value or condition)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The weakest effort or poorest achievement one is capable of

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

it was the worst he had ever done on a test

Hypernyms ("worst" is a kind of...):

attempt; effort; endeavor; endeavour; try (earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something)

Antonym:

best (the supreme effort one can make)

Derivation:

worst ((superlative of 'bad') most wanting in quality or value or condition)

• WORST (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(superlative of 'bad') most wanting in quality or value or condition

Context example:

the worst weather of the year

Similar:

bottom (the lowest rank)

last; last-place; lowest (lowest in rank or importance)

pessimal; pessimum (of an organism's environment; least favorable for survival)

Also:

bad (having undesirable or negative qualities)

inferior (of low or inferior quality)

Domain usage:

superlative (an exaggerated expression (usually of praise))

Antonym:

best ((superlative of 'good') having the most positive qualities)

Derivation:

worst (the weakest effort or poorest achievement one is capable of)

worst (the greatest damage or wickedness of which one is capable)

worst (the least favorable outcome)

• WORST (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Defeat thoroughly

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

mop up; pip; rack up; whip; worst

Context example:

He mopped up the floor with his opponents

Hypernyms (to "worst" is one way to...):

beat; beat out; crush; shell; trounce; vanquish (come out better in a competition, race, or conflict)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The fighter managed to worst his opponent

• WORST (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

To the highest degree of inferiority or badness

Context example:

the worst dressed person present

 Context examples 

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Please rate your pain by circling the one number that best describes your pain at its worst in the last week.

(BPI - Pain at its Worst in Last Week, NCI Thesaurus)

Symptoms appear suddenly and are at their worst about 48 hours after they start.

(Bell's Palsy, NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Mercury is always at its worst at the start and finish dates, which in this case will be November 20.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Brief Pain Inventory Short Form (BPI Short Form) Please rate your pain by circling the one number that best describes your pain at its worst in the last 24 hours.

(BPI Short Form - Pain at its Worst in Last 24 Hours, NCI Thesaurus)

A question about an individual's change in appearance at its worst.

(Change in Appearance at its Worst, NCI Thesaurus)

A question about an individual's difficulty swallowing at its worst.

(Difficulty Swallowing at its Worst, NCI Thesaurus)

A question about an individual's difficulty speaking at its worst.

(Difficulty Speaking at its Worst, NCI Thesaurus)

A question about an individual's change in bowel pattern at its worst.

(Change in Bowel Pattern at its Worst, NCI Thesaurus)

Of all ghosts the ghosts of our old lovers are the worst.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

That’s the worst of it, Mr. Holmes, I don’t know.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)