Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

worst comes to worst

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.55 in modern English

Syllables: worst -comes -to -worst
IPA

27

Scrabble Score

17

Letters

4

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

If a possible worst-case scenario actually occurs.

Example Sentences

"“Worst comes to worst, we'll make it to Cleveland and we can set down there and wait things out.” Gordon Rand nearly sneered, “Worst comes to worst? We'll crash and die, isn't that closer to the worst end of the possibility spectrum?"
"You aren't doing anything anyway. Worst comes to worst you can give her some money and send her on her way."
"Worst comes to worst ...” Eddie finished it. “Worst comes to worst, we try Dr. One's patented homemade miracle vaccine. Stops hair loss. Stops gout. Builds muscles. Kills flus.”"
"Worst comes to worst, Curtis says I can use his room."
"You said a couple of them are predators? Well, worst comes to worst, they can shift and eat."

Etymology

Originally in the form "if the worst come to the worst" with the subjunctive "if it come to" in the sense of "if the worst possible outcome should become the worst possible reality". Often used even today with the same two definite articles, and this is the only form recorded for British English in some dictionaries.

Inflected Forms

form only (superlative) the worst comes to the worst (alternative) worse comes to worst (alternative) bad comes to worst (alternative) bad comes to worse (alternative) worse comes to worse (alternative)

Frequently Paired Words

push comes to shove

Questions

What does worst comes to worst mean?: If a possible worst-case scenario actually occurs.
Where does worst comes to worst come from?: Originally in the form "if the worst come to the worst" with the subjunctive "if it come to" in the sense of "if the worst possible outcome should become the worst possible reality". Often used even today with the same two definite articles, and this is the only form recorded for British English in some dictionaries.

How to pronounce worst comes to worst

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