exacerbate

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

verb (used with object)

exacerbated, exacerbating 

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

   Synonyms: worsen, inflame, intensify, intensify
   Antonyms: alleviate, soothe, 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)

Other Word Forms

• exacerbatingly adverb
• exacerbation noun
• unexacerbating 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

The result: An older, sicker risk pool on the ObamaCare exchanges, which would push up premiums and exacerbate the structural problems that prompted Democrats to sweeten the subsidies in the first place.

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“Any suspension or disruption of U.S. assistance, as threatened, could weaken Nigeria’s security framework, potentially exacerbating insecurity.”

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Mali's fuel shortage is also exacerbating severe and recurrent power outages that have crippled the economy for the past five years.

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And while lowering rates may help make borrowing cheaper, exacerbating inflation “hurts poor people more than it hurts wealthier people,” he said.

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She also cycled through coaches, who all offered different opinions on how to fix it, which only exacerbated the problem.

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Related Words

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