exacerbate
UK /ɪɡˈzæsəˌbeɪt/ · US /ɪɡˈzæsɚˌbeɪt/ verb
Forms exacerbates exacerbating exacerbated
- verb (transitive) To make worse (a problem, bad situation, negative feeling, etc.). “The proposed shutdown would exacerbate unemployment problems.”
Synonyms
Etymology
First attested in 1660; borrowed from Latin exacerbātus, perfect passive participle of Latin exacerbō (“to provoke”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ex- (“out of; thoroughly”) + acerbō (“to embitter, harshen or worsen”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To render more violent or bitter; to irriate; to exasperate; to imbitter, as passions or disease. Broughman.
Etymology [L. exacerbatus, p. p. of exacerbare; ex out (intens.) + acerbare. See Acerbate.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “exacerbate”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details