exacerbate

verb

ex·​ac·​er·​bate ig-ˈza-sər-ˌbāt How to pronounce exacerbate (audio)
exacerbated; exacerbating

transitive verb

: to make more violent, bitter, or severe
The new law only exacerbates the problem.
exacerbation noun

Did you know?

The Latin adjective acer, meaning "sharp," forms the basis of a number of English words. Acerbic ("having a bitter temper or sour mood"), acrid ("having a sharp taste or odor"), and acrimony ("a harsh manner or disposition") are just the tip of the jagged iceberg. First appearing in English in the 17th century, exacerbate combines the Latin prefix ex- ("out of" or "outside") with acer offspring acerbus, meaning "harsh" or "bitter." 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 between two bitter rivals. The legacy of acer isn't all negative, however. The Latin name for the genus of maple trees and shrubs is Acer, owing to maples’ characteristically pointy leaves.

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Exacerbate vs. Exasperate

Exacerbate is frequently confused with exasperate, and with good reason. Not only do these words resemble one another in spelling and pronunciation, they also at one time held exceedingly similar meanings. Exasperate is today most commonly used as a synonym of annoy, but for several hundred years it also had the meanings “to make more grievous” and “to make harsh or harsher.” Exacerbate is now the more common choice of these two words when one seeks to indicate that something is becoming increasingly bitter, violent, or unpleasant. It comes in part from the Latin word acer, meaning “sharp,” whereas exasperate is from asper, the Latin word for “rough.”

Examples of exacerbate in a Sentence

The declining retirement security faced by growing numbers of Americans is being exacerbated by increasing longevity and quickly rising health care costs. Jeff Madrick, New York Review of Books, 20 Mar. 2008
… the sway that pack journalism holds on the Beltway press corps persists. The Crowd is never so influential as in the ever-lengthening season of presidential campaigns. The feverish obsessions of the blogosphere have only exacerbated the phenomenon: Now the herd just turns faster in pursuit of some ginned-up "controversy" or faux scandal. Editor & Publisher, April 2007
The proposed factory shutdown would only exacerbate our unemployment problems. His angry comments have exacerbated tensions in the negotiation process.
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.
This reduction in assistance could exacerbate food insecurity and negatively affect retailers that serve low-income communities. Solange Charas, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025 Even as the fire was raging, officials bitterly complained about conflicting policies that exacerbated the conflagration. Calmatters, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025 Or the Florida Apartment Association, which vehemently opposes rent control despite rising housing costs that exacerbate the risk of homelessness. Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2025 Nevertheless, when synthetic braids are dipped in boiling water to seal the ends, the VOCs emitted can exacerbate respiratory issues. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exacerbate

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin exacerbātus, past participle of exacerbāre "to irritate, exasperate, make worse," from ex- ex- entry 1 + acerbāre "to make bitter, make worse," verbal derivative of acerbus "acid, bitter, bitterly hostile, distressing" — more at acerb

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exacerbate was in 1660

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Cite this Entry

“Exacerbate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exacerbate. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

Medical Definition

exacerbate

transitive verb
ex·​ac·​er·​bate ig-ˈzas-ər-ˌbāt How to pronounce exacerbate (audio)
exacerbated; exacerbating
: to cause (a disease or its symptoms) to become more severe
her condition was exacerbated by lack of care
exacerbation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on exacerbate

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