exacerbate

[ ig-zas-er-beyt, ek-sas- ]

verb (used with object)

, ex·ac·er·bat·ed, ex·ac·er·bat·ing.

1. to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate.

   Synonyms: worsen, inflame, intensify

   Antonyms: alleviate, soothe, relieve

2. to embitter the feelings of (a person); irritate; exasperate.

exacerbate

/ ɪɡˈzæsəˌbeɪt; ɪkˈsæs- /

verb

1. to make (pain, disease, emotion, etc) more intense; aggravate
2. to exasperate or irritate (a person)

Derived Forms

• exˌacerˈbation, noun

Other Words From

• ex·ac·er·bat·ing·ly adverb
• ex·ac·er·ba·tion [ig-zas-er-, bey, -sh, uh, n, ek-sas-], noun
• un·ex·ac·er·bat·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of exacerbate¹

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin exacerbātus (past participle of exacerbāre “to exasperate, provoke”), equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + acerbātus acerbate

Word History and Origins

Origin of exacerbate¹

C17: from Latin exacerbāre to irritate, from acerbus bitter

Example Sentences

They wind up on the streets or in jail, environments that will exacerbate their problems.

From The Daily Beast

And a coup probably would exacerbate the economic problems that months of friction, violence and impasse have wrought.

From The Daily Beast

They can exacerbate splits within a ruling leadership, foment popular unrest, or expedite a dwindling current account.

From The Daily Beast

But instead of taking my edge off, all the wine did was exacerbate my starvation-induced headache.

From The Daily Beast

He said the administration would only approve the project if it “does not significantly exacerbate the climate problem.”

From The Daily Beast

The negro's competition for jobs and homes will probably exacerbate relations.

From Project Gutenberg

To remove all things which may alarm, torment, or exacerbate?

From Project Gutenberg

It's not for you, and you do but exacerbate the frightful pain there's been in feeling it with them.

From Project Gutenberg

Any foreign intervention serves only to exacerbate the situation by increasing the number and intensity of inter-ethnic grudges.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• aggravate
• annoy
• heighten
• inflame
• intensify
• irritate
• provoke
• worsen