take a turn for the worse

verb

To start to become worse; to worsen.

Opposite
take a turn for the better
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Meanings

verbtake a turn for the worse (third-person singular simple present takes a turn for the worse, present participle taking a turn for the worse, simple past took a turn for the worse, past participle taken a turn for the worse)

present singular third person takes a turn for the worse · participle present taking a turn for the worse · past took a turn for the worse · participle past taken a turn for the worse

  1. idiomaticTo start to become worse; to worsen.

    Rest assured, this will not last. Take a turn for the worse. Your hate, clipped and distant. Your luck, [a] two-headed cow.

    1983 April 12, “Pilgrimage”, in Murmur, performed by R.E.M.
    1 more example

    But Torres's afternoon was to take a turn for the worse for a second week in succession as he was shown a straight red card by referee Mike Dean for a two-footed challenge on Gower.

    2011 September 24, Aled Williams, “Chelsea 4 - 1 Swansea”, in BBC Sport

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
take a turn for the better

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 惡化 /恶化
  • 惡化 /恶化 (èhuà)start to become worse
Finnish tapahtua käänne pahempaan päin
  • tapahtua käänne pahempaan päinstart to become worse
French prendre un mauvais tournant, prendre mauvaise tournure
  • prendre un mauvais tournantstart to become worse
  • prendre mauvaise tournurestart to become worse
Italian prendere una brutta piega
  • prendere una brutta piegastart to become worse
Polish pogarszać się, pogorszyć się
  • pogarszać sięstart to become worse
  • pogorszyć sięstart to become worse
Portuguese mudar para pior
  • mudar para piorstart to become worse
Russian ухудша́ться, уху́дшиться
  • ухудша́ться (uxudšátʹsja)start to become worse
  • уху́дшиться (uxúdšitʹsja)start to become worse
Cite this entry
APA

take a turn for the worse. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20a%20turn%20for%20the%20worse

MLA

“take a turn for the worse.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20a%20turn%20for%20the%20worse. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “take a turn for the worse,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20a%20turn%20for%20the%20worse.

Source: take a turn for the worse on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.