Meaning & use
exacerbate
Last updated
UK/ɪɡˈzæsəbeɪt/
US/ɪɡˈzæsɚbeɪt/
Meaning
verbtransitive
To make something bad, such as a problem, pain or illness, even worse.
Grammar: Takes an object: exacerbate the situation.
Patterns
- exacerbate something
- exacerbate a problem
Cold weather can exacerbate joint pain.
The new rules only exacerbated the confusion.
Shouting at him will exacerbate the situation.
Word forms
| third person singular | exacerbates |
|---|---|
| past tense | exacerbated |
| past participle | exacerbated |
| -ing form | exacerbating |
Common combinations
- exacerbate a problem
- Cutting staff will exacerbate the problem.
- exacerbate tensions
- The comments exacerbated tensions.
- exacerbate symptoms
- Stress can exacerbate symptoms.
- further exacerbate
- Delays further exacerbated the shortage.
Synonyms and how they differ
- worsen
- Worsen is plainer and can be used with or without an object.
- aggravate
- Aggravate is a close synonym and can also mean to annoy a person.
- compound
- Compound means to add to a difficulty, making it more complex.
- inflame
- Inflame suggests making feelings or tension more heated.
Opposites
Word family
- exacerbation noun
- a worsening, especially of illness
Commonly confused: exacerbate or exasperate? exacerbate or exaggerate?
exacerbate vs exasperate
Exasperate means to annoy a person greatly, whereas exacerbate worsens a problem.
exacerbate vs exaggerate
Exaggerate means to describe something as bigger than it is.
Practice
Which sentence uses exacerbate correctly?
Choose one answer.
Exacerbate takes a problem or symptom as its object and means to make worse. Exasperate, not exacerbate, is used for annoying a person.
Make it your own
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