exacerbates

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.

exacerbates

Homeowners’ prepayment options become more valuable, which exacerbates negative convexity for mortgage bonds.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

This in turn exacerbates dangers such as flooding.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

"That does nothing to resolve conflict; science shows it only exacerbates the conflict."

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

The weak yen exacerbates this impact by increasing the cost of imported energy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Greg thinks he helps on busy nights, but really, he only exacerbates the problem.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King