exacerbated

[ ig-zas-er-bey-tid, ek-sas- ]

adjective

1. made worse, more severe, or more bitter; aggravated:

   The Economic Policy Institute recently released a study showing evidence of an exacerbated income gap between rich and poor.

2. feeling or showing embitterment, irritation, or exasperation:

   With an exacerbated huff, the gunslinger hauled a second revolver from his shoulder, training its barrel on the captain.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of exacerbate ( def ).

Other Words From

• un·ex·ac·er·bat·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of exacerbated¹

exacerbate ( def ) + -ed ²( def )

Example Sentences

“The economic effects of the covid-19 pandemic have further exacerbated conditions for these workers, increasing the importance of federal and state safety net programs to help them meet their basic needs,” the GAO said.

From Washington Post

That commentary exacerbates the nation’s already existing political polarization.

From Fortune

Nonresponse bias makes it harder for survey researchers to get accurate data, and when researchers—or pollsters—fail, the trust in the process dwindles, exacerbating levels of nonresponse.

From Fortune

Of course, 2020 also exacerbated the ongoing crisis in local news as the economy slowdown led to advertising shortfalls.

From Washington Post

The pandemic has exacerbated existing delays in finding veterans in need, filing their paperwork and waiting for decisions.

From Popular-Science

Existing food shortages in the country were immediately exacerbated by the introduction of Ebola, for a variety of reasons.

From The Daily Beast

The panic is exacerbated when those still working presumably safely in the affected areas are worried, too.

From The Daily Beast

As with the drug trade, much of the violence associated with sex work is exacerbated by its illegality.

From The Daily Beast

This was exacerbated by two years in Turkey where he says, “the only option is to live underground and survive.”

From The Daily Beast

The problem has been exacerbated as programs become fewer and larger.

From The Daily Beast

And things were exacerbated by a shortage of provisions—for which the kings government was held guilty.

From Project Gutenberg

The effects of increasing vessel traffic apparently are exacerbated by the narrow physical confines of Glacier Bay.

From Project Gutenberg

Accordingly, he has met with some exacerbated decriers, and with very few thorough-going defenders.

From Project Gutenberg

For apart from the magnetic attraction of the metropolis itself, Grenoble exacerbated his nerves.

From Project Gutenberg

Romance as an actual experience became more difficult of attainment and this was exacerbated by standard views of marriage.

From Project Gutenberg