exacerbate

CEFRC1

/ɪɡˈzæsɚˌbeɪt/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To make a problem or bad situation worse.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    To make worse (a problem, bad situation, negative feeling, etc.).

Examples

  • Climate change threatens to exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities.

  • Hot and blustery conditions will exacerbate the risk of fire tomorrow.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
2
Parts of speech
1
Citations
3
Synonyms
2

Also pronounced

  • /ɪkˈsæs-/

Deep Dive

More examples

In context

  • The proposed shutdown would exacerbate unemployment problems.

  • Near-synonym: worsen

  • Liz: It's just with Ed here, it's no wonder I always bring my flat-mates out and then that only exacerbates things. Shaun: What do you mean? Liz: Well you guys hardly get on, do you? Shaun: No, what does "exacerbate" mean?

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

Adding salt can blank the wound and cause more pain.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

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”).