to exacerbate

Examples

• All

• The government's rejection of the dialogue only exacerbated its relations with the Church.

  Academic text (1990)

• The United States must also deal with other domestic problems currently exacerbating international difficulties.

  Academic text (1990)

• And that is also going to exacerbate the issue.

  Grace Beverley

• And that is really gonna exacerbate things for all of us.

  Shaun of the Dead (2004)

• This is caused and exacerbated by climate change.

• So all of these things are working hand in hand, right, to exacerbate the situation, but that's happening right now.

• A lot of people think that high fat dairy will exacerbate their acne.

  Andrew Huberman

• So lack of sleep is one of the number one lifestyle factors that will exacerbate ADHD.

  Dr. Josh Axe

• Travel sickness can be a problem for a pregnant traveler and can exacerbate morning sickness.

  Academic text (2011)

• Lack of resources can exacerbate existing inequalities in education.

Synonyms

A

to add to

vsto exacerbate

822 1.8

Make something larger in number, amount or degree

is specifically used for making situations worse rather than any general increase

E

to escalate

vsto exacerbate

220 5.5

To become larger, more serious, or more intense

tends to stress increased seriousness or scale rather than general worsening

I

to intensify

vsto exacerbate

110 4.0

Make something stronger or more intense

is narrower, used especially when the result is worse rather than neutral strengthening

H

to heighten

vsto exacerbate

76 4.1

To make a feeling, effect or situation stronger

is used when the increase makes the situation worse rather than neutral intensification

A

to aggravate

vsto exacerbate

73 4.6

Make a problem or health condition worse

is similar but often used in more formal or clinical contexts

W

to worsen

vsto exacerbate

61 3.9

To make a situation or condition less good

is a more formal term stressing severity rather than simple decline

C

to compound

vsto exacerbate

61 6.9

To make a bad situation worse

focuses more on making the problem itself more severe rather than adding parts

D

to deepen

vsto exacerbate

52 3.6

Make a feeling or situation stronger

highlights immediate increase in severity rather than gradual deepening

A

to amplify

vsto exacerbate

44 4.1

To make something larger, stronger, or more important

is more about harmful worsening of problems rather than any general increase

M

to make matters worse

vsto exacerbate

37 4.0

To cause a situation to become more difficult or unpleasant

expresses the same worsening idea in a single formal verb

I

to inflame

vsto exacerbate

31 5.8

To make people's feelings stronger, especially anger or hate

is broader, applying to any problem or negative feeling becoming worse

A

to add insult to injury

vsto exacerbate

• Informal

12 4.5

To make a bad situation worse by saying or doing something that hurts someone more

is the plain worsening verb not tied to adding insult after harm

F

to fan the flames

vsto exacerbate

• Informal

8 7.2

To make an argument or feeling worse by encouraging it

is the neutral term for worsening without the sense of provocation

A

to add fuel to the fire

vsto exacerbate

• Informal

7 5.9

To make a bad situation worse by saying or doing something that makes people angrier

is a neutral single-word verb for making problems more severe

I

to inflame tensions

vsto exacerbate

• Literature

1 7.4

Make people more angry and cause conflict between groups

is more general, applying to many kinds of worsening beyond hostility

E

to exasperate

vsto exacerbate

1 8.9

Make a problem or feeling worse

is broader and more clinical when describing increased severity

P

to pour gasoline on the fire

vsto exacerbate

• Informal

1 7.3

Make a bad situation worse by what you say or do

is more neutral and used broadly for worsening beyond conflicts

E

to enflame

vsto exacerbate

6.4

To make feelings like anger or excitement stronger

is the general worsening verb not limited to emotional provocation

P

to pour fuel on the fire

vsto exacerbate

• Informal

7.3

To make a bad situation worse by saying or doing something

is the general formal verb for causing greater severity rather than the idiom

W

to worsify

vsto exacerbate

• Informal

9.9

To make something worse

is the standard, more accepted term for increasing severity

Antonyms

I

to improve

∞ 1.0

To make something better

A

to alleviate

76 5.3

To make pain, suffering, or a problem less strong

How Severe

to intensify

110 4.0

to exacerbate

69 8.0

to worsen

61 3.9

to impair

61 5.1

Surface Forms

Etymology