as in to worsen
to make more severe
a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of exacerbate
The Times analysis also found that skipping patients is exacerbating disparities in health care.
—
Brian M. Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
Flare-ups or relapses, as they are called, are times when MS symptoms are exacerbated and happen unexpectedly and usually last at least 24 hours.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2025
And the economic nationalism Trump seems to favor could exacerbate problems at home and stir up economic trouble across the world.
—Mariana Mazzucato, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The inventory tightening in the U.S. has been further exacerbated by CVS and Walgreens shuttering hundreds of stores.
—Kathryn Hopkins, WWD, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Brian M. Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
Flare-ups or relapses, as they are called, are times when MS symptoms are exacerbated and happen unexpectedly and usually last at least 24 hours.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2025
And the economic nationalism Trump seems to favor could exacerbate problems at home and stir up economic trouble across the world.
—Mariana Mazzucato, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The inventory tightening in the U.S. has been further exacerbated by CVS and Walgreens shuttering hundreds of stores.
—Kathryn Hopkins, WWD, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exacerbate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbate
Verb
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In the next episode, which followed the premiere, the feud continued to worsen.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
5 Mar. 2025
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Elsewhere in the Keys, worsening water quality has been identified as one of the factors responsible for a decline in bonefish and tarpon, and the devastation of Florida's coral reefs.—
Greg Allen,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Multi-sensory engagement—blending visuals, sound, touch, and even scent—can deepen emotional connections, making customers more likely to return and spread the word.—
Rhett Power,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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This has deepened anxieties over China's economic future, already on shaky ground because of a property sector crunch, mounting local government debt and a host of other challenges.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The shift may not only draw anger from Israel's emboldened far right but also aggravate divisions within Trump's own administration between an old conservative guard seeking a more assertive posture on Iran and the rising cadre of Trump loyalists who more closely share the president's vision.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
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Vargas, 38, of Osteen, pleaded guilty on Aug. 21 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit money laundering, prosecutors said.—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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But that pressure has been intensified by the Trump administration – especially on the offshore wind industry.—
Matt Egan,
CNN,
10 Mar. 2025
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One reason is likely intensifying EV competition, especially from companies like China’s BYD.—
Alan Ohnsman,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
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That’s the one thing that could get complicated, at least from a hitter’s perspective.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2025
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Figuring out the best time to apply can be complicated.—
Liz Weston,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exacerbate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbate. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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