French Conversation · Level 34
75 words
French word
pire
Pronunciation
IPA/piʁ/
Meaning
- adjectiveworse
Example
La situation est pire qu'hier.
The situation is worse than it was yesterday.
More examples
Ce bruit constant rend tout pire.
This constant noise makes everything worse.
Core concept
A setback that stands one level beyond an already bad condition.
Common phrases
rendre pire
make ___ worse
faire pire
do worse
Similar words
mauvais: In a poor or unsatisfactory condition or state.
grave: Serious enough to cause major problems if left unaddressed.
terrible: Extremely bad or unpleasant in nature or effect.
Definition in French
Forme comparative irrégulière de l'adjectif «mauvais», indiquant qu'une chose est plus mauvaise qu'une autre (X est pire que Y) et apparaissant aussi dans des locutions figées comme «au pire».
Word origin
The modern form pire developed from Latin peior through Old French peire while retaining its comparative meaning.
Usage tips
- The fixed phrase au pire means 'at worst' or 'in the worst case' and introduces a possible final outcome or fallback.