as in to worsen
to make more severe
a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem
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Recent Examples of exacerbate
The backlog of transformers exacerbates this situation.
—
Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
The reality is that with Tatis and Merrill, in particular, mechanical issues have been exacerbated recently by mounting crises of confidence.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026
Trump’s policies have exacerbated the problem, with the Iran war driving up the price of gasoline and other goods.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Those staffing shortfalls were exacerbated by DHS policies, including a directive that discouraged early release of elderly and sick detainees, and the gutting of oversight offices meant to flag safety risks and help hold immigration officials and contractors accountable for missteps.
—Rob Kuznia, CNN Money, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
The reality is that with Tatis and Merrill, in particular, mechanical issues have been exacerbated recently by mounting crises of confidence.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026
Trump’s policies have exacerbated the problem, with the Iran war driving up the price of gasoline and other goods.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Those staffing shortfalls were exacerbated by DHS policies, including a directive that discouraged early release of elderly and sick detainees, and the gutting of oversight offices meant to flag safety risks and help hold immigration officials and contractors accountable for missteps.
—Rob Kuznia, CNN Money, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbate
Verb
-
Airfares were already rising when Spirit Airlines shut down on May 2, and the loss of the discount carrier is expected to worsen the trend for travelers.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2026
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Foreign investors continue to be bearish on India due to weak earnings and the worsening economic impact from the rising global oil prices amid the conflict in the Middle East.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
Verb
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These are the services that reduce harm and support reintegration, unlike arrests that only deepen instability.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
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Relations between China and Russia have deepened in recent years, particularly since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 left Moscow shunned on the global stage and heavily reliant on Beijing for trade due to Western sanctions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Verb
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All of this was aggravated by a raft of economic uncertainties, from weak domestic consumption to the threat of a historic trade war with the US, leaving the keenest buyers, like Cai, to think twice before entering the market.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
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Raleigh left the Mariners’ 4-3 loss to the Houston Astros on Thursday after appearing to aggravate an injury on his right side.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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But the indictment’s most consequential allegations center on what happened after Washington intensified sanctions pressure on Venezuela’s oil industry beginning in 2019.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2026
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Higher output at sea The findings arrive as governments worldwide intensify efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and expand renewable energy generation in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
19 May 2026
Verb
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The goal wasn’t to shape or combat any one particular narrative, but to complicate the entire story through brute force.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
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According to the company, this increases costs, limits flexibility, and complicates maintenance.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exacerbate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbate. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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