exacerbate
[ ig-zas-er-beyt, ek-sas- ]
/ ɪgˈzæs ərˌbeɪt, ɛkˈsæs- /
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.
QUIZZES
How Hip Is Your Lingo? Take Our Slang Quiz!
If you aren’t already skilled in slang, then this quiz can get you up to speed in no time!
Question 1 of 11
OK Boomer can be perceived as pejorative, but it is mostly considered to be _____
Origin of exacerbate
OTHER WORDS FROM exacerbate
ex·ac·er·bat·ing·ly, adverbex·ac·er·ba·tion, nounun·ex·ac·er·bat·ed, adjectiveun·ex·ac·er·bat·ing, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH exacerbate
exacerbate exasperateWords nearby exacerbate
ex-works, ex., ex. doc., exa-, exabyte, exacerbate, exacerbation, exact, exact differential, exact science, exacta
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for exacerbate
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
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012