as in aggravated
to make more severe
a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem
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Recent Examples of exacerbated
All of those concerns are exacerbated by political candidates who have normalized casting doubt on election results, Gronke said.
—
Miles Parks, NPR, 11 Mar. 2026
The footprints are exacerbated by a phenomenon known as the Io Plasma Torus.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 10 Mar. 2026
One goal in 24 league appearances last season, exacerbated by a returning predictability in his play, cutting on to his stronger left foot before being tackled, was alarming.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
One person was injured this weekend in a townhome fire in the southwest Chicago suburb of Orland Park, which officials said may have been exacerbated by hoarding.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
While exacerbated by pandemic school closures, reading scores for Massachusetts fourth graders dropped six points from 2011 to 2019, compared to a one-point drop nationally.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2026
Supply bottlenecks have been exacerbated by recent refinery closures, including the Phillips 66 refinery in Wilmington in October and the idling and planned closure of the Valero refinery in Benicia, which reduced refining capacity in the state by close to 20%.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
But its momentum has slowed over the past decade, exacerbated by stringent pandemic controls, while regional rival India has surpassed it as the fastest-growing major economy.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
The conflict also threatens to worsen Afghanistan’s already grave humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by Western aid cuts following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
—semafor.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Miles Parks, NPR, 11 Mar. 2026
The footprints are exacerbated by a phenomenon known as the Io Plasma Torus.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 10 Mar. 2026
One goal in 24 league appearances last season, exacerbated by a returning predictability in his play, cutting on to his stronger left foot before being tackled, was alarming.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
One person was injured this weekend in a townhome fire in the southwest Chicago suburb of Orland Park, which officials said may have been exacerbated by hoarding.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
While exacerbated by pandemic school closures, reading scores for Massachusetts fourth graders dropped six points from 2011 to 2019, compared to a one-point drop nationally.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2026
Supply bottlenecks have been exacerbated by recent refinery closures, including the Phillips 66 refinery in Wilmington in October and the idling and planned closure of the Valero refinery in Benicia, which reduced refining capacity in the state by close to 20%.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
But its momentum has slowed over the past decade, exacerbated by stringent pandemic controls, while regional rival India has surpassed it as the fastest-growing major economy.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
The conflict also threatens to worsen Afghanistan’s already grave humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by Western aid cuts following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
—semafor.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbated
Verb
-
It is recommended to stay indoors when possible, especially for those with medical or respiratory conditions that are aggravated by smoke.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Guard Anfernee Simons aggravated a fracture in his left wrist during Saturday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons while attempting to work through a screen.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Geopolitical tensions deepened after Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei as the successor to his father, Ali Khamenei, as supreme leader - a move seen as a clear signal that hardliners remain firmly in control in Tehran.—
Reuters,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Political post-mortem after post-mortem has deepened a cold war between progressives and moderates, fueling ongoing debates over President Joe Biden’s handling of the Gaza war, inflation, and the cost of living.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In fact, too many swings in the batting cages may have only worsened their issues as the season progressed.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Aluminum hit the highest in almost four years before erasing gains, as escalating hostilities in the Middle East worsened the supply outlook from the region.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The rhetoric intensified Friday as GOP lawmakers responded to the attacks in Michigan and Virginia by urging a halt to all immigration into the United States.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The mounting toll has intensified concerns over how to counter drone swarms without depleting interceptor stockpiles that cost millions of dollars each to replace.—
Ashley Carnahan,
FOXNews.com,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Investing doesn’t have to be complicated.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
15 Mar. 2026
-
How have those attacks by Iran complicated the dynamic of this overall conflict?—
NBC news,
NBC news,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exacerbated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbated. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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