I do think it's part of many people's vocabulary. It's a bit informal. And it's not a word you use every day. But it's definitely a word that gets used when the occasion calls for it, just like the related verb "verschlimmbessern."

"Enshittification" isn't the same thing. "Verschlimmbesserung" is when you try to fix a loose connection in a power cord and then no electricity flows at all, or when you try to fix a bad haircut with a trimmer and the haircut ends up looking even worse, etc.

It's certainly used - not in the top 100, but if the situation calls for it, it's not unexpected.

There's a big difference between enshitification and "Verschlimmbesserung". The latter has the intent of actually improving things, while the first is making things knowingly worse for profit.

Of course it is still widely used.

Define widely used;

I probably haven’t used it once in the last 15 years and have heard it maybe twice.

Source: lifelong German speaker

Maybe you're working with the wrong people? It's uncommon among younger people, but I frequently hear craftsmen say it (who are over 50).

I am even.

Source: Lifelong Prime

I am also a native German and have heard it a lot in my lifetime. Of course not daily, but it is definitely still used today.

The word is needed a lot today, the English version however not always applicable in more formal contexts.

I'd like to use "Schlimmprovement" for elevated communication.

> I'd say enshitification is a good enough word.

Enshittification is when the perpetrator intentionally does make a product worse, like locking previously free features behind a paywall with a firmware update, or covers components of an electric device with some goop to make it unrepairable.

Verschlimmbesserung is when the perpetrator has good but ultimately misguided intentions. For example, so middle manager might think that replacing but buttons on a vacuum cleaner with app integration adds value, but ultimately it's replacing something simple, boring and reliable with an overengineered solution that causes more problems than it solves.

There is some overlap between the two: someone could make make a Verschlimmbesserung even though he knows no one wants the change, but he can pad his resume with it. In general I'd say enshittification leans more towards malice, while Verschlimmbesserung leans more towards incompetence.

> Verschlimmbesserung is not widely used these days in Germany.

Yes, it is.

I hear it often. Especially from my wife. Criticising my repairs.

How about Verscheisserung / Verschisserung?

I do like the sound of Verscheissification.

As Picard said: Enshitify! (Apologies to my Trekkie friends.)

> Verscheisserung

That already means "prank".

> Verschisserung

"Schisser" means coward.