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
Despite having made chronic health conditions the focus of his agenda, Kennedy has quietly abided environmental policies that will exacerbate these problems, including autism.
—
Sharon Lerner, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
Under the alternative scenario, annual deficit growth would be exacerbated by extensions of tax cuts and spending increases, combined with higher interest on the rapidly rising debt load.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2025
That effect is exacerbated for women: Research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill published in April 2023 found 21% more women face AI job automation than men, even though men outnumber women in the workforce.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025
Results during the Premier League Summer Series in the U.S., where Everton lost 3-0 against Bournemouth and 2-1 to West Ham, before a 2-2 draw with Manchester United in their final game, exacerbated those concerns.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Sharon Lerner, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
Under the alternative scenario, annual deficit growth would be exacerbated by extensions of tax cuts and spending increases, combined with higher interest on the rapidly rising debt load.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2025
That effect is exacerbated for women: Research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill published in April 2023 found 21% more women face AI job automation than men, even though men outnumber women in the workforce.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025
Results during the Premier League Summer Series in the U.S., where Everton lost 3-0 against Bournemouth and 2-1 to West Ham, before a 2-2 draw with Manchester United in their final game, exacerbated those concerns.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbate
Verb
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The country’s humanitarian crisis is expected to worsen as millions of Afghans are forced to return to the country after being deported from neighboring Pakistan and Iran.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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While 50 percent of baby boomers said the economy would worsen in the next 12 months, only 31 percent of Gen Z said the same.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Aromatic onion, bell pepper and garlic are used to enhance and deepen the sauce.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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These factors deepened the disaster’s impacts and elongated the recovery process.—
Manann Donoghoe,
Time,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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He was later charged with three additional counts: assault - recklessly causing physical injury, aggravated harassment and harassment, New York Criminal Court public records reviewed by PEOPLE show.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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In an interview following the sentencing, Heitman said Schwantes' actions were aggravated by his position as a public defender.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Scientists, as a group, lean more Democratic and less Republican than the rest of the public, a trend that seems to have intensified in recent decades.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
23 Aug. 2025
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West won't feel the fall preview Folks in the West would welcome some of the chill that will overtake the Midwest and Northeast: Dangerous heat is expected to intensify and expand in coverage over much of the western U.S. into the weekend, the National Weather Service said.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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When people appear in person to cancel their memberships, the suit alleges that LA Fitness complicates the process by enacting a policy that states only one employee is allowed to process cancellations.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
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Some may argue that this demand could complicate peace talks.—
Irwin Redlener,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exacerbate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbate. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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