exacerbates

Definition of exacerbatesnext
present tense third-person singular of exacerbate
as in deepens
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 exacerbates This comes as local officials across Massachusetts hold challenging conversations around potential budget cuts, as diminishing state aid exacerbates growing municipal costs. Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 18 Mar. 2026 Swinging and missing exacerbates the pain in Rodriguez’s hand, Schlossnagle said. David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 14 Mar. 2026 That spiral exacerbates the affordability crisis. Christopher Greenwood, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026 The current scale of fossil-fuel burning is also disrupting entire Earth-system functions, which in turn drives fuel demand (as people try to stay warm or cool) and exacerbates the kind of extreme weather that can destroy communities and transform ecosystems. Meera Subramanian, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026 Canning industry collapse exacerbates market stress Argentine pears put the squeeze on local fresh market opportunities. Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 23 Feb. 2026 The energy to make and ship the artificial snow also exacerbates the carbon footprint of the competitions that require snow, the climate experts said. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 4 Feb. 2026 But climate change is also becoming an unignorable concern in garment-producing regions as extreme weather exacerbates heat stress in factories and fuels humanitarian crises such as flooding and drought. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 2 Feb. 2026 One approach to addressing casualty risks is to design spacecraft to demise entirely, but this exacerbates the atmosphere pollution problem, said Boley. Leonard David, Space.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbates
Verb
  • As Cuba’s economic crisis deepens and amid the fuel shortages and the blackouts, hospitals have been hard hit, leaving patients in the dark and medicine at risk of spoiling.
    Carmen Sesin, NBC news, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Neighbors brace for impact If the crisis deepens, aid groups say, the most likely destinations for refugees are Iran’s borders with Iraq and Turkey, which stretch nearly 1,400 miles through rough alpine terrain that is home to many Kurdish communities and are difficult to police.
    Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Smoke from wildfires penetrates deep into the lungs and aggravates respiratory disease more than any other type of pollution.
    Becky Upham, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Mar. 2026
  • In the extreme off-chance that Darnold doesn’t play or aggravates the injury, the Seahawks would call upon Drew Lock, who has just three regular season passing attempts on the year.
    Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Musk merger complicates SpaceX IPO watch now Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.
    Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026
  • That complicates the narrative for a president who prides himself on record-high stocks, low borrowing costs and a weaker dollar for boosting manufacturing.
    John Towfighi, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday urged for a peaceful resolution of the Afghanistan-Pakistan dispute, warning the use of force worsens tensions and threatens regional stability.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
  • At high speeds, the rotors generate significant drag, which worsens as the blades spin faster.
    David Szondy March 09, New Atlas, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • At the same time, capital concentration intensifies the danger.
    Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 15 Mar. 2026
  • And, as geopolitical competition intensifies around critical minerals, countries like Zimbabwe may gain leverage by positioning themselves as alternative suppliers in an industry still dominated by China.
    Ray Mwayera, semafor.com, 13 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exacerbates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbates. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on exacerbates

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