make matters / things worse

/mˌeɪk mˈatəz θˈɪŋz wˈɜːs/

/mˌeɪk mˈæɾɚz θˈɪŋz wˈɜːs/

[phrase]

to make matters / things worse

[PHRASE]

to do something that makes an already bad situation worse

to [make] (matters|things) worse definition and meaning

What is the origin of the idiom "make matters worse" and when to use it?

The idiom "make matters worse" is used to describe a situation where something that is already bad or negative is made even worse by an action or event. The phrase is believed to have originated in the 16th century and has been in common usage ever since. It is often used to describe situations where an attempt to improve a situation actually ends up making things worse.

Examples

1. If they don't handle the situation carefully, their actions could add fuel to the flames and make things worse.

2. "To make matters worse," OK, who wrote this?

3. You know, I don't wanna potentially make things worse by getting into details.

4. The COVID-19 pandemic has made things worse.

Nearby words

make an exhibition of

pay too dearly for whistle

pay through the nose for

make up for lost time

man of word