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

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 exacerbate Venezuela’s fragile health care system had been deteriorating for years before two powerful earthquakes rattled the South American nation last month, killing more than 5,000 people and further exacerbating its ongoing health crisis. — Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 31 July 2026 In addition to causing death and illness directly, extreme heat can exacerbate heart, lung and kidney disease, as well as mental health problems, experts said. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026 Spring was wet but summer has been bone dry, a situation exacerbated by repeat heatwaves. — Kate Dingwall, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026 This preexisting condition was exacerbated by the impact of the water. — Alexa Newsom, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbate
  1. worsen
  2. deepen
  3. aggravate
  4. intensify
  5. complicate
Verb
  • According to court documents, Wilson’s relationship with the producers had started deteriorating before filming began in 2023 – and worsened during post-production.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Weakening commodity prices and a worsening industrial relations climate in Australia is draining investor enthusiasm for the world’s biggest mining company, BHP.
    — Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of worsen
Verb
  • Communities will debate whether AI improves access to knowledge or deepens dependence on a few private platforms.
    — Gerui Wang, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Allowing your lawn to wilt a little between waterings helps deepen the root system.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of deepen
Verb
  • Richard Stevenson, 45, of Lisle, has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI in connection with that crash; prosecutors said his blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit at the time.
    — CBS Chicago Team, CBS News, 30 July 2026
  • But Jackson played through foot pain after re-aggravating the toe injury as a result of playing the final five games of the season.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of aggravate
Verb
  • The Book of Five Rings has only grown in relevance as demands on executives have intensified.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • The Sun in your 7th House of Relationships opposes Pluto in your sign, intensifying the push-pull between your needs and someone else’s expectations.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2026
Definition of intensify
Verb
  • Today, however, several armed groups allied with Tehran are back to pressuring Iran’s foes by opening new fronts that complicate the war and threaten to choke the global economy.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The spacecraft, named Link, was rotating on multiple axes, rendering it unable to maintain a reliable communications link with the ground and complicating efforts to arrest the spin.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of complicate

Browse Nearby Words

ex
exacerbate
exacerbated
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Exacerbate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbate. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on exacerbate

Nglish: Translation of exacerbate for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of mitigate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All