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make matters worse
/meɪk ˈmætərz wɜːrs/
to exacerbate a bad situation
His rude comment made matters worse during the argument.
His rude comment worsened the argument.
informal
to cause a bad situation to become even worse
The team's poor performance made matters worse for the manager.
The team's poor performance worsened the manager's situation.
Ignoring the problem only made matters worse.
Ignoring the problem worsened the situation.
This phrase is commonly used in informal and everyday contexts to describe situations where an action or event exacerbates an already difficult circumstance.
Collocations
make things worsea similar phrase with the same meaningadd insult to injuryto make a bad situation even worse
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Usage in Context
Use 'make matters worse' when you want to emphasize that an action or event has made a bad situation even more difficult.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overuse
While useful, overusing this phrase can make your language sound repetitive. Vary your expressions to keep your communication engaging.
Word Origin
The phrase 'make matters worse' is a straightforward combination of words that have been used together for centuries to describe the act of worsening a situation. The term 'matters' refers to affairs or circumstances, and 'worse' indicates a decline in quality or condition.
Usage Notes
This phrase is versatile and can be used in various contexts, from personal relationships to professional settings. It is often used to express frustration or concern about a deteriorating situation.
Word Breakdown
make
to cause or create
verbmatters
affairs or circumstances
nounworse
of poorer quality or condition
adjectiveEnglish Dictionary