EXACERBATE Definition Meaning - Merriam-Webster First appearing in English in the 17th century, exacerbate combines the Latin prefix ex- ("out of" or "outside") with acer offspring acerbus, meaning "harsh" or "bitter " Just as pouring salt in a wound worsens pain, things that exacerbate cause a situation to go from bad to worse
EXACERBATE Definition Meaning | Dictionary. com Exacerbate definition: to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc ); aggravate See examples of EXACERBATE used in a sentence
Exacerbating - definition of exacerbating by The Free Dictionary To increase the severity, violence, or bitterness of; aggravate: a speech that exacerbated racial tensions; a heavy rainfall that exacerbated the flood problems [Latin exacerbāre, exacerbāt- : ex-, intensive pref ; see ex- + acerbāre, to make harsh (from acerbus, harsh; see ak- in Indo-European roots) ] ex·ac′er·ba′tion n