exacerbate

verb

ig-ˈza-sər-ˌbāt How to pronounce exacerbate (audio)
Definition of exacerbatenext
as in to worsen
to make more severe a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exacerbate Higher interest rates exacerbated by the flood of federal debt issuance are starting to bite in some parts of the economy and threaten to worsen the government's debt problem. — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026 The Conservancy adds that climate change is likely to exacerbate the problem, as invasive species are often more adaptable to changing temperatures. — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2026 Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026 First, substantial evidence indicates that the structure of our congressional elections exacerbates legislative underperformance. — Scott Warren, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbate
  1. worsen
  2. deepen
  3. aggravate
  4. intensify
  5. complicate
Verb
  • The 20 countries at greatest risk of a worsening humanitarian crisis, ranked by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) annually in our Emergency Watchlist, represent just 12% of the global population, but 90% of those in humanitarian need.
    — David Miliband, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Both have become tools for wealthy families seeking easier travel or a fallback if political and economic conditions worsen at home.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of worsen
Verb
  • While security is by far the most pressing priority, new projections from the IMF have revealed the war’s deepening economic toll.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Washington, for its part, is creating friction in many of its partnerships instead of deepening them, and risks squandering its network just as its adversaries are learning to make more of theirs.
    — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of deepen
Verb
  • Unfortunately, Delane aggravated a shoulder injury on that play and was unable to return to action in that game, the season opener at Arrowhead.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The Yankees are also cautious about Judge on a turf field, which could further aggravate the injury.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of aggravate
Verb
  • The complex political and economic climate has only intensified their desire to invest their own time and resources in uplifting other Latino and Hispanic creatives.
    — Terry Tang, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Their push intensified as questions emerged about district contracts and payments involving a consultant with ties to Sneed.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of intensify
Verb
  • Avoiding it in the first place makes far more sense, even if the K3's additional hardware and energy requirements complicate the question of its overall environmental footprint.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Improved resilience to electronic warfare could further complicate efforts to disrupt these systems.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of complicate

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exacerbate
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Cite this Entry

“Exacerbate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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