Phrase guide

take a turn for the worse

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To start to become worse; to worsen.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 惡化 /恶化 (èhuà) — start to become worse
  • Finnish: tapahtua käänne pahempaan päin — start to become worse
  • French: prendre un mauvais tournant — start to become worse
  • French: prendre mauvaise tournure — start to become worse
  • Italian: prendere una brutta piega — start to become worse
  • Polish: pogarszać się — start to become worse
  • Polish: pogorszyć się — start to become worse
  • Portuguese: mudar para pior — start to become worse
  • Russian: ухудша́ться (uxudšátʹsja) — start to become worse
  • Russian: уху́дшиться (uxúdšitʹsja) — start to become worse