exacerbate
/ɪɡˈzæsɝˌbeɪt/
to make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse
exacerbate in a sentence
“His comments only exacerbated the tension in the room.”
Origin of exacerbate
Latin exacerbare to irritate, provoke from ex- thoroughly + acerbus harsh, bitter
Related Words
mitigate
to make less severe, serious, or painful
obfuscate
to render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible
elucidate
to make something clear; to explain
extricate
to free someone or something from a constraint or difficulty
excoriate
to criticize someone severely; to damage the skin
castigate
to reprimand someone severely