exacerbate

[ ig-zas-er-beyt, ek-sas- ]
/ ɪgˈzæs ərˌbeɪt, ɛkˈsæs- /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR exacerbate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), ex·ac·er·bat·ed, ex·ac·er·bat·ing.

to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate.
to embitter the feelings of (a person); irritate; exasperate.

Origin of exacerbate

1650–60; < Latin exacerbātus (past participle of exacerbāre to exasperate, provoke), equivalent to ex- ex-1 + acerbātus acerbate

OTHER WORDS FROM exacerbate

ex·ac·er·bat·ing·ly, adverb ex·ac·er·ba·tion, noun un·ex·ac·er·bat·ed, adjective un·ex·ac·er·bat·ing, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH exacerbate

exacerbate exasperate

Words nearby exacerbate

ex-works, ex., ex. doc., exa-, exabyte, exacerbate, exacerbation, exact, exact differential, exact science, exacta

Words related to exacerbate

annoy, aggravate, worsen, heighten, irritate, inflame, provoke, intensify, increase, embitter, exasperate, envenom, excite, madden, vex, enrage

Example sentences from the Web for exacerbate

British Dictionary definitions for exacerbate

exacerbate
/ (ɪɡˈzæsəˌbeɪt, ɪkˈsæs-) /

verb (tr)

to make (pain, disease, emotion, etc) more intense; aggravate
to exasperate or irritate (a person)

Derived forms of exacerbate

exacerbation, noun

Word Origin for exacerbate

C17: from Latin exacerbāre to irritate, from acerbus bitter