Verschlimmbessern: A Funny German Word You Need to Know

verbsVocabulary

Apr 14

Have you ever tried to fix something, but ended up making it worse? If yes, there's a perfect German word for that: verschlimmbessern.

What does verschlimmbessern mean?

Verschlimmbessern is a mix of two German words:

verschlimmern = to make worse
verbessern = to improve

Put them together, and you get: "to make something worse while trying to improve it."

It’s a funny German word, but it’s also super useful! Germans use it when a well-meant change leads to a bad result.

Example:
Imagine your friend repaints your bike to make it look cooler—but now the wheels don’t spin. That’s a classic verschlimmbessern. The intention was good, but the result... not so much.

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Why do Germans have a word like this?

German is full of clever and funny expressions. Sometimes, German words are long, but they describe very specific ideas. This is one of the reasons why people love to learn German online. Words like verschlimmbessern show how detailed and creative the language can be.

How to use verschlimmbessern in a sentence

Here are some simple examples of how to use it in real life:

„Bitte fass den Text nicht nochmal an. Du verschlimmbesserst ihn nur.“
(Please don’t touch the text again. You’ll only make it worse.)
„Viele neue Leute in Online-Foren meinen es gut, aber ohne Ahnung verschlimmbessern sie oft nur die Beiträge.“
A lot of new people in online forums mean well, but without experience, they often just make the posts worse.
„Er wollte die Website schneller machen, aber jetzt funktioniert gar nichts mehr. Voll verschlimmbessert.“
He wanted to make the website faster, but now nothing works. Totally verschlimmbessert.

This word is used when something was changed with good intentions, but the result was more of a mess than before.

There’s also die Verschlimmbesserung

Not only is verschlimmbessern a great verb—you can also use it as a noun: die Verschlimmbesserung. It refers to the actual result of the failed improvement. So when your “fix” ends in disaster, you can say:

„Das war eine komplette Verschlimmbesserung.“
(That was a total messed-up improvement.)

It’s perfect for describing situations where the change didn’t help at all—or even made things worse. Whether it’s a design update, a software patch, or a new rule at work, Verschlimmbesserung says it all in one word.

Remember: Verschlimmbessern means trying to fix something and accidentally making it worse.

Conclusion

Verschlimmbessern is what happens when you try to fix something but end up making it worse. It’s funny, real, and totally useful in everyday life. Plus, it gives you a great peek into how German expresses things that other languages can’t.

Check out also the meaning of Torschlussplanik!

Bis bald!

Steffie

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