exacerbate
eg-ZAS-er-bayt
/ɪɡˈzæsərbeɪt/
To make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse.
Exacerbate is the 'professional' version of aggravate. It is strictly used for situations, conditions, or feelings, never for people (you don't 'exacerbate' your mother).
The story behind the word. The root 'acer' means sharp or bitter (like 'acid' or 'acrid'). To exacerbate is to 'thoroughly embitter' a situation, making it sharper and more painful.
Word relationships
- aggravate: Exacerbate is more formal and cannot be used to mean 'annoy a person', whereas aggravate can.
- ameliorate: Ameliorate means to make something bad better.
Commonly confused with
- exasperate: Exasperate means to intensely irritate a person; exacerbate means to make a situation worse.
Word family
- exacerbation (noun): The process of making a problem or condition worse.
Collocations
- exacerbate the problem
- exacerbate tensions
- exacerbate symptoms
Example sentences
- "The sudden rise in oil prices will only exacerbate the existing inflation." Economic report.
- "His refusal to apologize served only to exacerbate the tension between the two families." A formal observation.
Memory hook
Exacerbate = Ex + Acer (bitter) + Ate. You 'ate' something 'bitter' and it made your stomach 'worse'. Exacerbate: Making it extra bitter.
When not to use
Do not use 'exacerbate' to mean 'annoy a person'. Use it for 'worsening a crisis'.
Fun facts
- In medicine, an 'exacerbation' is a sudden worsening of a chronic condition, like an asthma attack.
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