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
My discomfort is exacerbated by an inability to reconcile my steadfast belief in the need for Israel to survive and thrive with a lack of clarity about what solutions could ever evolve to produce a durable peace with the Palestinians.
—
Michael W. Sonnenfeldt, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
The federal government in recent months has imposed an oil blockade on Cuba to bring its leaders to the table, a sanction that has exacerbated the island’s humanitarian crisis.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
But undersea cables in the Red Sea have already seen a spate of damage in recent years, exacerbated by lengthy repair times and attacks by Houthi rebels allied with Iran.
—Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 19 May 2026
Shortfalls are more severe in areas with major projects such as semiconductor fabrication facilities, exacerbated by the fact that about one-fifth of electricians are over 55, said ABC chief economist Anirban Basu.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 19 May 2026
The woman recalled her symptoms being exacerbated by her friends visiting less and the constant attention on her baby.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026
Exhibitors were already weakened by the COVID lockdowns and their situation was exacerbated by the expansion of international SVoD services and social media prompted by the crisis, which in turn has had a lasting impact on public habits and consumption patterns.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 19 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
Michael W. Sonnenfeldt, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
The federal government in recent months has imposed an oil blockade on Cuba to bring its leaders to the table, a sanction that has exacerbated the island’s humanitarian crisis.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
But undersea cables in the Red Sea have already seen a spate of damage in recent years, exacerbated by lengthy repair times and attacks by Houthi rebels allied with Iran.
—Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 19 May 2026
Shortfalls are more severe in areas with major projects such as semiconductor fabrication facilities, exacerbated by the fact that about one-fifth of electricians are over 55, said ABC chief economist Anirban Basu.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 19 May 2026
The woman recalled her symptoms being exacerbated by her friends visiting less and the constant attention on her baby.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026
Exhibitors were already weakened by the COVID lockdowns and their situation was exacerbated by the expansion of international SVoD services and social media prompted by the crisis, which in turn has had a lasting impact on public habits and consumption patterns.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 19 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbated
Verb
-
The situation has been aggravated in recent months after the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela meant Cuba stopped receiving free oil from the South American nation.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Meehan’s family soon moved to the Toures’ neighborhood, and the friendship deepened.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
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
-
Drought conditions have worsened the spread of the wheat streak mosaic virus and barley yellow dwarf virus, which impact the potential of the crop.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
-
After that year, our situation worsened.—
Abraham Jiménez Enoa,
The Dial,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
With Boston ruled out just before tip-off due to a lower leg injury, the spotlight on Caitlin Clark intensified.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
-
Moreno, a health director for a labor union, said he was consumed at the time with his job, which suddenly intensified as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the country.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
And this year, the US-Israeli war with Iran further complicated the Fed’s efforts to assess the economy.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
-
The situation has been complicated by international tensions amid the Iran war.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exacerbated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbated. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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