as in worsening
to make more severe
a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem
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Recent Examples of exacerbating
The network originated as an effort to accelerate the collapse of modern society by exacerbating social tensions and dividing society through violence, and has roots in white supremacy and fascism, Kriner said.
—
Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 12 Sep. 2025
And the exacerbating factor was Nestor picked the Gophers’ bitter rival.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 10 Sep. 2025
The limited job gains also are coming from practically a single source, exacerbating those concerns.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
And some experts suggest that climate change is exacerbating the crisis, as many homes are underinsured for natural disasters, which are increasing in frequency.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
The disaster comes as Sudan's war is exacerbating its humanitarian crisis.
—Robert Birsel
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Traditionally, the help Congress has offered buyers — including subsidies and low-cost loans — has spurred demand, exacerbating these supply pressures.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 1 Sep. 2025
Many Americans identify as moderates, but we’re often exposed to the loudest voices on either political extreme, exacerbating the growing sense of polarization.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
This caused ductwork to condensate and fill with water, which in turn increased the humidity in the building, exacerbating an already humid summer.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 12 Sep. 2025
And the exacerbating factor was Nestor picked the Gophers’ bitter rival.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 10 Sep. 2025
The limited job gains also are coming from practically a single source, exacerbating those concerns.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
And some experts suggest that climate change is exacerbating the crisis, as many homes are underinsured for natural disasters, which are increasing in frequency.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
The disaster comes as Sudan's war is exacerbating its humanitarian crisis.
—Robert Birsel
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Traditionally, the help Congress has offered buyers — including subsidies and low-cost loans — has spurred demand, exacerbating these supply pressures.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 1 Sep. 2025
Many Americans identify as moderates, but we’re often exposed to the loudest voices on either political extreme, exacerbating the growing sense of polarization.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
This caused ductwork to condensate and fill with water, which in turn increased the humidity in the building, exacerbating an already humid summer.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbating
Verb
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Fortunately, just as the worsening problem feels insurmountable, solutions are becoming feasible.—
Dan Riskin,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Wildfire worries With the worsening drought comes worries over wildfires.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Reuters — Ethiopia officially inaugurated Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam on Tuesday, a project that will provide energy to millions of Ethiopians while deepening a rift with downstream Egypt that has unsettled the region.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
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The meeting of the bloc of mostly developing nations comes as South Korea mulls joining the CPTPP, a pan-Pacific free trade group, while European officials head to New Delhi for talks on deepening economic ties and India looks to tighten technological cooperation with Singapore.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Increasing barriers and complicating transactions will not help.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
9 Sep. 2025
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When performance declines, there are so many complicating factors to consider to arrive at the root issue.—
Melinda Fouts,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exacerbating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbating. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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