Just as pouring salt in a wound worsens pain, things that exacerbate cause a situation to go from bad to worse. A pointed insult or cutting remark, for example, might exacerbate tensions …

EXACERBATE definition: to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate. See examples of exacerbate used in a sentence.

EXACERBATE meaning: 1. to make something that is already bad even worse: 2. to make something that is already bad even…. Learn more.

exacerbate (ɪɡˈzæsəˌbeɪt; ɪkˈsæs-) vb (tr) 1. to make (pain, disease, emotion, etc) more intense; aggravate 2. to exasperate or irritate (a person)

Definition of exacerbate verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

2 meanings: 1. to make (pain, disease, emotion, etc) more intense; aggravate 2. to exasperate or irritate (a person).... Click for more definitions.

to make (something) worse: If you try to argue now you'll only exacerbate the situation. ex•ac•er•ba•tion /ɪgˌzæsɚˈbeɪʃən, ɛkˌsæs-/ n. [uncountable] See -acr-.

Dec 14, 2025 · exacerbate (third-person singular simple present exacerbates, present participle exacerbating, simple past and past participle exacerbated) The proposed shutdown would …

The proposed factory shutdown would only exacerbate our unemployment problems. His angry comments have exacerbated tensions in the negotiation process.

Definition of exacerbate. English dictionary and integrated thesaurus for learners, writers, teachers, and students with advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels.