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exacerbate
[ ig-zas-er-beyt, ek-sas- ]
/ ɪgˈzæs ərˌbeɪt, ɛkˈsæs- /
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verb (used with object), ex·ac·er·bat·ed, ex·ac·er·bat·ing.
to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate.
to embitter the feelings of (a person); irritate; exasperate.
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OTHER WORDS FOR exacerbate
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Origin of exacerbate
OTHER WORDS FROM exacerbate
ex·ac·er·bat·ing·ly, adverbex·ac·er·ba·tion [ig-zas-er-bey-shuhn, ek-sas-], /ɪgˌzæs ərˈbeɪ ʃən, ɛkˌsæs-/, nounun·ex·ac·er·bat·ing, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH exacerbate
exacerbate , exasperateWords nearby exacerbate
Ewing's sarcoma, EWO, ex, exa-, exabyte, exacerbate, exacerbated, exact, exacta, exact differential, exacting
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use exacerbate in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for exacerbate
exacerbate
/ (ɪɡˈzæsəˌbeɪt, ɪkˈsæs-) /
verb (tr)
to make (pain, disease, emotion, etc) more intense; aggravate
to exasperate or irritate (a person)
Derived forms of exacerbate
exacerbation, nounWord Origin for exacerbate
C17: from Latin exacerbāre to irritate, from acerbus bitter
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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