French word

empirer

Pronunciation

IPA/ɑ̃piʁe/

Meaning

  • verbget worse

Example

La météo empire ce soir.

The weather will get worse tonight.

Illustration for empirer (get worse)

More examples

Avec le froid, ses symptômes empirent.

With the cold, their symptoms worsen.

Core concept

A worsening condition crosses successive points on a downward path.

Common phrases

  • les symptômes empirent

    The symptoms worsen

  • la situation empire

    The situation worsens

Similar words

aggraver: To cause a state or problem to become more severe.
s'aggraver: To worsen on its own as part of a natural progression.
se détériorer: To become gradually damaged or less healthy.
détériorer: To make an object or situation less sound or effective.

Definition in French

Signifie qu'un état, une situation ou un phénomène se détériore, ou qu'on le rend pire.

Word origin

The verb developed from Old French empeirier and ultimately relates to Latin peior, meaning worse, with French verb formation giving the sense of becoming or making worse.

Usage tips

  • For a direct cause or object, aggraver is often the more natural choice, while empirer commonly describes a situation that worsens by itself.

Other meanings

  • make worseverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word