as in to worsen
to make more severe
a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of exacerbate
Deregulation and disinvestment may ultimately exacerbate wildfire risk.
—
Tony Cheng, Space.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Political violence has existed in the US for decades, but social media has exacerbated it, Cox, a Republican, told the BBC in an interview.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Parents who are overly strict or overly protective can exacerbate anxiety symptoms.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 23 Sep. 2025
Like many other districts, though, there has been a staffing crisis that was exacerbated by the pandemic.
—Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Tony Cheng, Space.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Political violence has existed in the US for decades, but social media has exacerbated it, Cox, a Republican, told the BBC in an interview.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Parents who are overly strict or overly protective can exacerbate anxiety symptoms.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 23 Sep. 2025
Like many other districts, though, there has been a staffing crisis that was exacerbated by the pandemic.
—Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbate
Verb
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Last year, Decker’s ex-wife, Whitney Decker, reportedly filed a petition to modify the family’s parenting plan, citing his worsening mental health issues.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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He’s been sedated for the most part since the crash, to prevent any additional physical exertion or agitation that could worsen his injuries.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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His appetites and his animosities only deepen.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
27 Sep. 2025
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Jung Yeon-Je / AFP via Getty Images file Kim has also deepened his country’s military cooperation with Russia, sending artillery and thousands of troops to support President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine.—
Stella Kim,
NBC news,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Man charged in shooting A man identified in court documents as Jermaine Hall has been charged with unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and aggravated fleeing a stop or detention in connection with the shooting.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
27 Sep. 2025
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Money could be at the heart of the power struggle when Mars aggravates Pluto.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Sep. 2025
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This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But there have been some career stumbles recently, a superhero disappointment in particular, that must have complicated Johnson’s conception of his remarkable career.—
Richard Lawson,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
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Private payrolls plunged in September, complicating the picture for the US economy as policymakers and investors struggle to assess the state of the labor market amid a government shutdown.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exacerbate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbate. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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