Exacerbate Meaning
/ɪɡˈzæsɚˌbeɪt/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo make worse (a problem, bad situation, negative feeling, etc.).
Sentence Examples
Hot and blustery conditions will exacerbate the risk of fire tomorrow.
Climate change threatens to exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Adding salt can ____ the wound and cause more pain.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Adding more fuel to the fire will only ____ the already dangerous situation.
Word Origin & History
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”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Sino-Soviet relations were exacerbated by a border incident on May 9. Beijing charged that thirty Soviet troops, supported by a helicopter and navy boats, crossed the Ussuri River into the Hulin area of Heilongjiang province."
— 1986, Peter P. Cheng, “1978: The Four Modernizations on the March”, in Chronology of The People's Republic of China, 1970-1979, Scarecrow Press, Inc., →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 395:
"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?"
— 2004, Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright, Shaun of the Dead:
"The reasons for this growing disconnect are myriad and complex but the situation is exacerbated by the reality that those English players who do smash through our game's "glass ceiling" command radically inflated transfer fees."
— 2013 August 20, Louise Taylor, “English talent gets left behind as Premier League keeps importing”, in The Guardian:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Adding salt can ____ the wound and cause more pain.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Adding more fuel to the fire will only ____ the already dangerous situation.