acerbate

American  

[as-er-beyt, uh-sur-bit] / ˈæs ərˌbeɪt, əˈsɜr bɪt /

verb (used with object)

acerbated, acerbating

1. to make sour or bitter.

2. to exasperate.

---

adjective

1. embittered.

acerbate British  

/ ˈæsəˌbeɪt /

verb

1. to embitter or exasperate

2. to make sour or bitter

---

Etymology

Origin of acerbate

1725–35; < Latin acerbātus, past participle of acerbāre to make bitter. See acerbic, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Fires ravaging huge swaths of countryside only acerbate the climate crisis, he said.

From Seattle Times

Without a trade deal, it would have acerbated chaos at the border where checks on goods will have to be increased since Britain is fully out of the 27-nation bloc.

From Seattle Times

"Instead of advancing the United States' interests, politicising trade will only acerbate the country's economic woes, and poison the overall China-US relationship," it said.

From BBC

"But instead of advancing the United States' interests, politicising trade will only acerbate the country's economic woes, and poison the overall China-U.S. relationship."

From Reuters

The discussion continued for some time, but he seemed to grow only more fixed in his intention, and certainly he became more acerbated in temper.

From Project Gutenberg