exacerbate - to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of(disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate.

exacerbate

[ig-zas-er-beyt, ek-sas-] 

 

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• Word Origin

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verb (used with object), exacerbated,exacerbating.

1.

to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of(disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate.

2.

to embitter the feelings of (a person); irritate;exasperate.

exacerbatingly, adverb

exacerbation, noun

unexacerbated, adjective

unexacerbating, adjective

Synonyms

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1. intensify, inflame, worsen.

Antonyms

1. relieve, soothe, alleviate.

Historical Examples

• They had begun to comprehend this exacerbation ofemotion—this paroxysmal rhapsody.
  A Protegee of Jack Hamlin's and Other Stories Bret Harte 
• Now the place has been set by the ears, and a tone ofexacerbation prevails.
  Alone Norman Douglas 
• Just prior to the onset of an exacerbation theleucocytosis is low.
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• Can be confused
• exacerbate, exasperate.
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