as in deepens
to make more severe
a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem
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Recent Examples of exacerbates
This only exacerbates that need.
—
Rebecca Schneid, Time, 12 Oct. 2025
His loving, pragmatic wife, Mi-ri (Son Ye-jin), gamely downsizes their middle-class life to fit their new reality — but her resoluteness only exacerbates his despair.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
The conversation focused on men's wellbeing in America, particularly mental health among young men and how social media exacerbates issues of identity and loneliness.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025
The Rockets' roster lacks guards and ball-handlers, especially when compared to other title contenders, and VanVleet's injury exacerbates the problem.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
The thinking among some academics and business leaders goes that requiring companies to disclose their finances every quarter, as the US has done since 1970, exacerbates Corporate America’s obsession with pleasing the stock market in the short term rather than focusing on long-term value creation.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2025
The feeling of invisibility exacerbates results.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Registered psychologists Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson, who co-founded The Institute of Child Psychology, argued that homework after school only exacerbates the problem.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Aside from a changing climate, water managers say the inability to store water in upstream reservoirs due to compact obligations exacerbates the problem.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025
Rebecca Schneid, Time, 12 Oct. 2025
His loving, pragmatic wife, Mi-ri (Son Ye-jin), gamely downsizes their middle-class life to fit their new reality — but her resoluteness only exacerbates his despair.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
The conversation focused on men's wellbeing in America, particularly mental health among young men and how social media exacerbates issues of identity and loneliness.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025
The Rockets' roster lacks guards and ball-handlers, especially when compared to other title contenders, and VanVleet's injury exacerbates the problem.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
The thinking among some academics and business leaders goes that requiring companies to disclose their finances every quarter, as the US has done since 1970, exacerbates Corporate America’s obsession with pleasing the stock market in the short term rather than focusing on long-term value creation.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2025
The feeling of invisibility exacerbates results.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Registered psychologists Tammy Schamuhn and Tania Johnson, who co-founded The Institute of Child Psychology, argued that homework after school only exacerbates the problem.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Aside from a changing climate, water managers say the inability to store water in upstream reservoirs due to compact obligations exacerbates the problem.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbates
Verb
-
The film follows poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley as their love deepens, and the couple finds newfound appreciation for the preciousness of life after a terminal illness diagnosis.—
Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
5 Nov. 2025
-
So the Barbra connection deepens and deepens.—
Joe Lynch,
Billboard,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Money could be at the heart of the power struggle when Mars aggravates Pluto.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
-
The minuscule particles can lead to breathing problems like bronchitis and cause inflammation that aggravates diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Scheduled for retirement in 2026, the ship’s age complicates the analysis of events.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
-
That complicates things for the Blue Jays who could either be riding off into the sunset happy as can be or mad at the world for losing Game 6 and Game 7.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Just like a traditional hangover, ignoring the need to rest only worsens an introvert hangover.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Chronic brain inflammation contributes to neuronal death and worsens amyloid and tau pathology.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Unfortunately for the squeamish 12-year-old me, the lifelike fluidity intensifies the story’s body-horror elements.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The danger intensifies when storm surge coincides with high tide, rapidly elevating water levels and increasing the risk of widespread flooding.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exacerbates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbates. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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