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exacerbating

VERB

infuriate; make worse

Synonyms

STRONGEST

aggravate annoy heighten inflame intensify irritate provoke worsen

STRONG

embitter enrage envenom exasperate excite increase madden vex

WEAK

add insult to injury egg on fan the flames feed the fire go from bad to worse heat up hit on push one's button rattle one's cage rub salt in a wound

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid alleviate appease calm delight help improve make happy please soothe

STRONG

comfort compose pacify placate

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Aoun, a former army chief, says this cannot be done by force, warning of the risks of alienating the Shia community and exacerbating tensions in a country divided by sects.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

A decrease in the availability of smartphones at lower-tier levels could prompt consumers to switch to a premium Apple product, exacerbating an existing mix shift trend.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Retail traders are pulling money out of energy exchange-traded funds, exacerbating a selloff in the sector that has sent stocks down by double-digits from their peaks last month.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

A $100-billion war chest to automate manufacturing already is exacerbating fears that AI is coming for everyone’s jobs.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

If he jumped off now, Seabiscuit, obedient to equine instinct to flee pain, would probably tear over the track, exacerbating his injury.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand