How to pronounce worse
Say it like WURS. Worse is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce worse. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- WURS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Worse pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- WURSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of worse
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: WURS.
What does worse mean?
- (comparative of bad) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability“this road is worse than the first one we took”“the road is in worse shape than it was”
- changed for the worse in health or fitness“I feel worse today”“her cold is worse”
- (comparative of ill) in a less effective or successful or desirable manner“he did worse on the second exam”
- something inferior in quality or condition or effect“for better or for worse”“accused of cheating and lying and worse”
Where does worse come from?
From Middle English worse, werse, from Old English wiersa, from Proto-West Germanic *wirsiʀō, from Proto-Germanic *wirsizô.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with worse
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of worse.
Questions about saying worse
How do you pronounce worse?
Say WURS. The American pronunciation is /wɝs/. In British English it is /wɜːs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in worse?
Worse is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: WURS.
Is worse pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /wɜːs/ (WURS).