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
Emerging science suggests that long-term exposure to harmful algal blooms, for example over months or years, can cause or exacerbate chronic respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal problems and may be linked to liver cancers, kidney disease and neurological issues.
—
Gregory J. Dick, The Conversation, 26 June 2025
Mamdani's bad ideas, like freezing the rent, will only exacerbate the underlying causes of the affordability crisis in NYC.
—Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Tariffs on construction materials will only exacerbate that.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Weeks earlier, protests had begun in Venice over their upcoming wedding—which some locals believed would only exacerbate the historic floating city’s problems with overtourism.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Gregory J. Dick, The Conversation, 26 June 2025
Mamdani's bad ideas, like freezing the rent, will only exacerbate the underlying causes of the affordability crisis in NYC.
—Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Tariffs on construction materials will only exacerbate that.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Weeks earlier, protests had begun in Venice over their upcoming wedding—which some locals believed would only exacerbate the historic floating city’s problems with overtourism.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbate
Verb
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This can lead to more frequent awakenings, shallower sleep and worsened airway instability, resulting in more apnea events.—
Matthew Glasser,
ABC News,
30 June 2025
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Sweden reintroduced a gender-neutral draft in 2017 citing worsening security conditions, while Norway became the first NATO country to implement gender-equal conscription in 2013.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
Verb
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My top goal is to deepen team alignment around our core mission, as clarity drives performance.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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While focused largely on political rights, the U.N. report also highlights Venezuela’s deepening economic collapse.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 June 2025
Verb
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Arizona first baseman Josh Naylor was removed from the game in the seventh inning after apparently aggravating a right shoulder injury.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 June 2025
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Land-use experts warned that pushing the density levels too high would not only aggravate the surrounding neighborhoods but also potentially impact the project’s ability to be built.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
Verb
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Black women are often conditioned to prioritize others’ needs over their own, and this tendency may intensify during the summertime demands.—
Essence,
Essence,
26 June 2025
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While inflation and rising interest rates have intensified financial pressure across the board, the impact has been disproportionately severe for those already operating at a capital disadvantage, which includes many women of color entrepreneurs.—
Alejandra Rojas,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
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The budget bill championed by President Donald Trump could complicate next year’s tax filing season after the IRS lost one-quarter of its employees through staffing cuts, an independent watchdog reported Wednesday.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
25 June 2025
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Adding another first rounder this summer would have complicated both the team’s rotation and salary structure.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exacerbate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbate. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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