make matters worse
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make matters worse
verb makes matters worse · making matters worse · made matters worse
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To worsen an already difficult situation or unfavourable set of circumstances, typically by acting rashly, foolishly, or incompetently.
His resentful attitude only made matters worse during the custody proceedings.
Similar: add fuel to the fire, add insult to injury, cap it all off, fan the flames, make matters worse, throw gasoline on the fire, With malice, hit someone when they are down, kick a dog when it's down, kick someone when they are down, punch down, put the boot in
Opposite: improve, pour oil on troubled waters, repair
Thesaurus
verb
Opposite: improve, pour oil on troubled waters, repair
Translations
Every language
verb worsen an already difficult situation
| Español | para más inri, para colmo |
|---|---|
| Français | aggraver la situation |
Talk about this word "make matters worse." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/make%20matters%20worse. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. make matters worse. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/make%20matters%20worse "make matters worse." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/make%20matters%20worse.Cite this
@misc{make_matters_worse_2026,
title = {make matters worse},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/make%20matters%20worse},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
