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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.

Polling and sentiment gauges show that high gas prices are exacerbating worries about the cost of living.

From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026

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

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

A single CFC molecule is about ten thousand times more efficient at exacerbating greenhouse effects than a molecule of carbon dioxide–and carbon dioxide is of course no slouch itself as a greenhouse gas.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson