make matters worse

idiom

: to make a situation worse
He laughed at her and then, to make matters worse, he accused her of lying!

Examples of make matters worse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To make matters worse, the grounds crew had a difficult time initially covering the infield with the tarp. Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025 The idea is not to make matters worse by adding tension to an already stressful state of affairs and to buy time to calmly assess the situation, establish some connection with those involved, and offer solutions that don’t involve the use of force. Michael S. Roth, Time, 28 Mar. 2025 To make matters worse, the dog had a broken tooth, adding to his immense pain. Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025 To make matters worse, most of Diamonds Are Forever takes place in Las Vegas. EW.com, 23 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for make matters worse

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Make matters worse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%20matters%20worse. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!