exacerbate

ex·ac·er·bate  (g-zsr-bt)

tr.v. ex·ac·er·bat·ed, ex·ac·er·bat·ing, ex·ac·er·bates

To increase the severity, violence, or bitterness of; aggravate: a speech that exacerbated racial tensions; a heavy rainfall that exacerbated the flood problems.

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[Latin exacerbre, exacerbt- : ex-, intensive pref.; see ex- + acerbre, to make harsh (from acerbus, harsh; see ak- in Indo-European roots).]

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ex·acer·bation n.

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exacerbate [ig-zass-er-bate]

Verb

[-bating, -bated] to make (pain, emotion, or a situation) worse [Latin acerbus bitter]

exacerbation n

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	exacerbate - make worse; "This drug aggravates the pain" aggravate, worsen, exasperate irritate - excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame; "Aspirin irritates my stomach" inflame - cause inflammation in; "The repetitive motion inflamed her joint" alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" cheapen, degrade - lower the grade of something; reduce its worth
	2.	exacerbate - exasperate or irritate               exasperate, aggravate anger - make angry; "The news angered him"

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exacerbate

verb irritate, excite, provoke, infuriate, aggravate (informal) enrage, madden, inflame, exasperate, vex, embitter, add insult to injury, fan the flames of, envenom

Translations

exacerbate [ɛkˈsæsəbeɪt] vt → exacerbar

exacerbate [ɛksˈæsəbeɪt] vt [+ pain] → exacerber, accentuer (fig); aggraver

exacerbate [ɛksˈæsəbeɪt] vt → verschärfen;

(pain) → verschlimmern

exacerbate [ɪkˈsæsəbeɪt] vt [+ pain] → aggravare;

(fig) [+ relations, situation]; esacerbare, esasperare