Exacerbate
/ɪɡˈzæsərbeɪt/
verbC1
Definition
Exacerbate means to increase the badness or difficulty of something. When a problem or pain gets worse because of an action or event, we say it is exacerbated. It is often used to talk about things like illness, conflicts, or problems.
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See It in Action
To make a physical condition or pain worse
- •Loud noises can exacerbate a headache.
- •Not resting can exacerbate the injury.
- •Smoking exacerbates lung problems.
To make a problem, conflict, or bad situation worse
- •His rude words only exacerbated the argument.
- •Poor planning exacerbated the traffic problem.
- •The new policy exacerbated tensions between groups.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "exacerbate" like "make worse," but in a stronger, more serious way—not just a little worse, but clearly more difficult or painful
- ✓Picture a small fire that someone accidentally pours gasoline on, making the fire much bigger and more dangerous
- ✓It's the feeling when a headache that was okay suddenly becomes very painful after loud noise or stress
- ✓Sounds like "egg-ZAS-er-bate" → Imagine an egg cracking and spilling, making a mess bigger than before (egg = small problem, exacerbate = make mess bigger)
- ✓Think of stories where a small argument grows into a big fight because someone says something hurtful, making the problem worse
- ✓NOT like "help" or "fix" (which improve things), exacerbate means to make the situation worse, not better
- ✓NOT like "change" (which can be good or bad), exacerbate always means a negative change, increasing difficulty or pain
- ✓NOT like "ignore" (which means to not pay attention), exacerbate means active making worse, not just leaving alone
Try Other Words
- •Worsen: to become or make something worse (Use when the change is negative but less formal)
- •Aggravate: to make a problem or feeling worse (Use when talking about pain or problems, similar to exacerbate)
- •Intensify: to make stronger or more extreme (Use when emphasizing increase in strength or degree, not only bad things)
- •Heighten: to increase (Use when talking about feelings or situations becoming stronger)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "ex-" meaning "out of" or "thoroughly"
- •Root: "acerb-" from Latin "acerbus" meaning "bitter" or "harsh"
- •Suffix: "-ate" a verb-forming ending meaning "to cause"
- •Origin: From Latin "exacerbare," meaning "to make harsh or bitter"
- •Historical use: Used since the 1600s to describe making something worse or more severe
- •Modern use: Common in medicine, social issues, and formal writing to describe worsening conditions or problems
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when trying to help someone actually exacerbated their problem? Why did it happen?
•How can understanding the meaning of exacerbate help you avoid making situations worse in daily life?
Fill in the blanks
1.Loud noise can exacerbate ___, making it harder to concentrate.
2.His careless words exacerbated the ___ between the two friends.
3.Not treating the illness properly will ___ the symptoms and delay recovery.
4.When stress levels rise, it can exacerbate feelings of ___ or sadness.
5.The new law might exacerbate ___ if people do not follow the rules.
6.She was careful not to exacerbate the situation by ___ her opinion too strongly.
7.Doctors warn that smoking can exacerbate ___ problems like asthma or bronchitis.