as in to worsen
to make more severe a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem

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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.
Recent Examples of exacerbate Mobius added that the country’s currency collapse has also exacerbated the loss of investor confidence and capital flight. Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 8 July 2025 Those were exacerbated by the project running nearly nine months over schedule due to weather and construction delays. Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025 The Pacers, last season’s surprise East champions, must now take a gap year because of Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles, their situation exacerbated by the departure of center Myles Turner to their rival, the Milwaukee Bucks. Jared Weiss, New York Times, 8 July 2025 Poor sleep exacerbates many of the chronic conditions that the movement is focused on remedying. Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbate
Verb
  • This misinformation can also lead to insurance denials, distorted retirement planning, and worsened stigma.
    Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Most of the Corn Belt and Midwest remain drought-free, except for northern Illinois where conditions worsened, the agency said.
    Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025
Verb
  • His remarks signal that military co-operation between Moscow and Pyongyang is likely to deepen.
    Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025
  • This kind of downtime is rare for both of them, and it’s really allowed their bond to deepen.
    Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • His financial problems were aggravated by a nationwide economic downturn in 1873.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • Under Colorado statute, blighted properties are areas that are hazardous to public health, impede housing and aggravate traffic problems, among several other factors.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Limited Warning Time and Rapid Onset Many of the flash floods happened very quickly, often within minutes of rainfall intensifying.
    Hannah Parry Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
  • Recent layoff announcements have only intensified these concerns.
    C200, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • The case presents a unique test of NIL outside the college sports landscape and in a setting where a player contract and collective bargaining agreements complicate the situation.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 July 2025
  • This exhaustive scientific work is complicated by ongoing legal and ethical concerns.
    Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 6 July 2025

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“Exacerbate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbate. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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