exacerbated

American  

[ig-zas-er-bey-tid, ek-sas-] / ɪgˈzæs ərˌbeɪ tɪd, ɛkˈsæs- /

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.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of exacerbate.

Other Word Forms

• unexacerbated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of exacerbated

exacerbate ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

The incident left him with frequent headaches, anxiety and memory loss, and exacerbated his gastritis.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

Consumers resent energy-price jumps exacerbated by the spread of data centers.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

Despite continued spending, American consumer confidence is near all-time lows, exacerbated by rising gasoline prices and persistent inflation.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

The deadly outbreak of Andes virus, a rare strain of hantavirus, is likely a “one-off” situation exacerbated by the obscure virus emerging on a cruise ship in remote waters.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

Her wildness seems to have been exacerbated by the death of her brother, Ben, to whom she was very close.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins