at worst since

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at worst since" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used when discussing a negative situation or outcome that has persisted from a specific point in time. Example: "The project has faced challenges, at worst since its inception, but we are still making progress."

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Continued attacks on Trump's character, intellect, or ignorance about government are a waste of energy at best and counterproductive at worst, since they could simply amplify the class resentments between Middle America Trump supporters and the coastal and urban elite.

Harvard Business Review

Republicans' swoon in the polls, and the apparent rise of Democrats as the party that a plurality of voters want to control Congress, came in large part from the view that Republicans have been obstructionist at best, and incompetent at worst, since taking control of the House last year.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The results at best could be meaningless and at worst misleading, since respondents may be reluctant to admit that they are ignorant.

Encyclopedia Britannica

You concluded that averting an economic collapse could prevent a popular backlash against the free market, which is ironic considering it is the Fed's misguided central planning, the antithesis of free-market economics, that got us into this mess.Matthew Lewis San DiegoSIR – So, defaults on loans at worst doubled since the mid-1990s are are still well below 10% of total loans.

The Economist

Obama takes office at a time in which the economy is at its worst since the Great Depression which swept FDR into power.

Huffington Post

The Mistral deal and other arms shipments lay bare the difficulty of applying pressure on Russia, even at a time when tensions between the country and the West are at their worst since the Cold War.

Independent

Security, people say, is at its worst since the fall of the Taliban government in 2001.

The New York Times

Numbers in west Africa were at their worst since reliable record-keeping began.

The Guardian

Joblessness and everything related to it are routinely described as being at their worst since the 1930s.

The New York Times

Communications from Aleppo are at their worst since the start of the war, with phone and internet coverage failing.

The Guardian

The Obama administration is keen to avoid any conflagration of the kind in August 2008, when US-Russia tensions were at their worst since the Cold War.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "at worst since", ensure the context clearly establishes the point of comparison and the negative condition being described. For example, specify what is at its "worst" and the time period for comparison.

Common error

Avoid using "at worst since" without clearly defining what is being compared and the baseline for comparison. Without clear context, the phrase can be ambiguous and weaken your argument.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at worst since" acts as an adverbial modifier, specifying the extent or degree of a negative condition relative to a past point in time. It functions to provide temporal context to a described negative state. Ludwig examples show usage across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "at worst since" is a phrase used to indicate that a negative situation is the most severe it has been since a specific point in time. While Ludwig AI points out its non-standard nature, the phrase appears across varied contexts, including News & Media, Science, and Encyclopedias. The grammatical status of the phrase is acceptable, and it's typically used to add temporal context to a negative state. When using this phrase, it is important to ensure that there is a comparison, and the context is clear so that the argument is not weakened. While effective in conveying the magnitude of a problem, there are more formal and simpler alternatives to enhance clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at the lowest point since

Replaces "worst" with "lowest point", emphasizing the depth of the negative situation.

in the most dire condition since

Substitutes "worst" with "most dire condition", intensifying the severity of the situation.

at the most critical juncture since

Replaces "worst" with "most critical juncture", focusing on the severity of the crisis.

in the poorest state since

Replaces "worst" with "poorest state", emphasizing the deficiency or decline.

at its most deteriorated level since

Replaces "worst" with "most deteriorated level", highlighting the degradation over time.

in the gravest situation since

Substitutes "worst" with "gravest situation", amplifying the seriousness of the circumstances.

experiencing the greatest decline since

Replaces the entire phrase with a focus on the process of decline rather than the state.

facing the toughest circumstances since

Substitutes "worst" with "toughest circumstances", shifting the focus to the difficulty of the situation.

in the most challenging period since

Replaces "worst" with "most challenging period", focusing on the difficulty of the era.

at rock bottom since

Replaces "worst" with "rock bottom", using a more idiomatic expression for the lowest point.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "at worst since" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you can use phrases like "at the lowest point since" or "in the most dire condition since", which offer greater precision and formality.

Is "at worst since" grammatically correct?

While "at worst since" is used, Ludwig AI identifies it as non-standard. More conventional alternatives include "at the very least since" or "at the lowest point since".

When should I use "at worst since"?

Use "at worst since" to describe a current situation that represents the most unfavorable conditions observed since a particular time. Ensure that the context clearly specifies what aspect is "at its worst".

What's a simpler alternative to "at worst since"?

Simpler alternatives include phrases like "the worst it's been since" or "worse than it's been since".