as in worsening
to make more severe
a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 exacerbating
But Boston’s lineup has looked largely noncompetitive over the season’s first month, exacerbating concerns that the Red Sox wouldn’t hit enough after a less-than-ideal offseason.
—
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
School leaders across the state have pointed to rising costs, declining enrollment and a flawed state funding system as some factors exacerbating their financial strain.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
High oil prices sparked by the Iran war are accelerating Latin America’s oil boom, though the growth risks exacerbating economic inequality across the region, analysts said.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Measures to prevent the island from acquiring oil from its Venezuelan, Mexican and Russian suppliers are exacerbating the already poor living conditions of the population, including prolonged blackouts and fuel shortages.
—ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
This propulsive documentary follows Climate Defiance and founder Michael Greenberg’s unabashedly disruptive protests, expressing their fervent and urgent demands for climate action in the spaces — and faces — of industry executives and politicians exacerbating the crisis.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
As those dry earlier, so do fuels lower down, exacerbating a drought already plaguing the West’s high plains.
—Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 15 Apr. 2026
With the exception of a Russian oil tanker that was allowed to dock in Cuba earlier this month, Washington has maintained a de-facto fuel embargo on the country, exacerbating the extreme energy shortages that bedevil the Cuban population on a daily basis.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Kumpf says recently the dams have been exacerbating environmental concerns, worsening fish passage, harmful algae blooms and impairing water quality.
—Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
School leaders across the state have pointed to rising costs, declining enrollment and a flawed state funding system as some factors exacerbating their financial strain.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
High oil prices sparked by the Iran war are accelerating Latin America’s oil boom, though the growth risks exacerbating economic inequality across the region, analysts said.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Measures to prevent the island from acquiring oil from its Venezuelan, Mexican and Russian suppliers are exacerbating the already poor living conditions of the population, including prolonged blackouts and fuel shortages.
—ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
This propulsive documentary follows Climate Defiance and founder Michael Greenberg’s unabashedly disruptive protests, expressing their fervent and urgent demands for climate action in the spaces — and faces — of industry executives and politicians exacerbating the crisis.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
As those dry earlier, so do fuels lower down, exacerbating a drought already plaguing the West’s high plains.
—Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 15 Apr. 2026
With the exception of a Russian oil tanker that was allowed to dock in Cuba earlier this month, Washington has maintained a de-facto fuel embargo on the country, exacerbating the extreme energy shortages that bedevil the Cuban population on a daily basis.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Kumpf says recently the dams have been exacerbating environmental concerns, worsening fish passage, harmful algae blooms and impairing water quality.
—Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbating
Verb
-
Oil revenue is the linchpin of Russia’s economy, allowing Putin to pour money into the armed forces without worsening inflation for everyday people and avoiding a currency collapse.—
Karel Janicek,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The West Texas project recently received the largest air pollution permit ever granted in the US, while Musk’s Memphis project has faced multiple lawsuits arguing the gas turbines are worsening air quality in historically Black communities.—
Mark Chediak,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The deal is Ascentium’s most recent in more than a dozen acquisitions, plugging a gap in the company’s mainland China coverage while deepening its footprint in hot Southeast Asian growth markets.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Ashley’s fear of abandonment has developed throughout the season; Austin’s articulation only puts a fine point on it, instead of deepening their relationship.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hundreds of thousands of Cuban Americans are pursuing compensation for homes, businesses and land confiscated by Castro’s government, complicating potential negotiations.—
Joshua Goodman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
That could play out again with Cherfilus-McCormick and Mills, though one complicating factor with the Florida Republican is his ethics investigation isn’t as far along.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exacerbating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbating. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
