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

Examples 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 But these topline figures mask underlying economic weaknesses, exacerbated by Western sanctions. Theodore Bunzel, Foreign Affairs, 9 Dec. 2024 Excess iodine can exacerbate thyroid issues, especially for people with hyperthyroidism. Boutayna Chokrane, WIRED, 6 Dec. 2024 Low staffing, exacerbated by the high cost of living in the Bay Area, also contributed to the decision to close the facility, the agency said. Michael R. Sisak and Michael Balsamo, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024 Their removal would exacerbate an already critical labor shortage in these fields, leaving millions of Americans without adequate care. Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for exacerbate 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbate
Verb
  • The situation worsened when the woman discovered her husband had caught his mother doing the same thing the previous week but hadn't told her.
    Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
  • Forceful blowing can actually worsen your cold symptoms.
    Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • One such Art Basel Miami Beach artist whose work has deepened many horizons is Clarence James, a Washington, D.C.-based former street artist whose journey from graffiti to galleries has led to collaborations with Fendi and Chanel.
    Lilian Raji, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, reported that the assault had 'seriously damaged' its thermal power plants, deepening concerns about the country's energy stability while winter sets in.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The driver, 26-year-old Nicholas Chavez, was arrested on charges including aggravated DUI driving wrong way, a Class 4 felony.
    Karen Bartunek, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Much of the vitriol has targeted the health care industry, which aggravates consumers more than corporations overall, Tom Rogers, the founder of CNBC, told ABC News.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The rhetoric coming from the White House was less hostile, but getting tough on China had become a political necessity for whoever was president, and the trade war only intensified.
    Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
  • This fall, messages voicing support for Hamas have intensified on some campuses.
    DAN ROSENZWEIG-ZIFF THE WASHINGTON POST, arkansasonline.com, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • These regulations are further complicated by cultural norms and expectations.
    Rick Hammell, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
  • And surely office life is complicated by partner hires.
    Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024

Podcast

Thesaurus Entries Near exacerbate

Cite this Entry

“Exacerbate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbate. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on exacerbate

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!