acerbate

verb

ac·er·bate ˈa-sər-ˌbāt

acerbated; acerbating

: irritate, exasperate

Examples of acerbate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Scientists insist that climate change has acerbated already ripe conditions for calamitous fires, while critics have contended that such devastation is nothing new to the Australian landscape. —

Fox News, 17 Jan. 2020 The goal: Not acerbating people's financial problems. —

Sharon Coolidge, Cincinnati.com, 23 Oct. 2019 Airlines say the current rule is acerbating a pilot shortage that has caused some regional carriers to cancel flights. —

Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2017

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin acerbātus, past participle of acerbāre "to make bitter or disagreeable, worsen, aggravate," verbal derivative of acerbus "sour, bitter, grievous" — more at acerb

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of acerbate was in 1657

See more words from the same year