easy
Talking over one another only exacerbated the confusion about the rules.
What does Exacerbate mean?
Exacerbate means to make something that is already bad even worse.
Dictionary definition
To cause an existing problem, unpleasant feeling, or difficult condition to become more severe.
Example sentences
Exacerbate in a sentence
medium
A missing delivery could exacerbate the shortage of paint for the mural.
medium
Blaming each other exacerbates the tension when our team falls behind.
Writing practice
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Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Exacerbate
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
Extra messages exacerbated the confusion about rehearsal. What happened?
Exacerbate identifies a change for the worse in an existing difficulty.
Practice 2
In usual modern usage, repeated interruptions can ___ a speaker, while unclear instructions can exacerbate confusion.
Exasperate usually means annoy or frustrate someone. Exacerbate usually takes a problem or unpleasant condition as its object.
Practice 3
Which sentence uses exacerbate appropriately?
An existing shortage is a bad condition that can worsen. Exacerbate is not a neutral substitute for increase.
Practice complete
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Pronunciation coach
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Exacerbate
Voice settings
Sounds like
ig · zas · er · bayt · strongest beat: zas
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordExacerbate.
Partverb.
MeaningExacerbate means to make something that is already bad even worse.
ExampleExample: Talking over one another only exacerbated the confusion about the rules.
Word breakdown
4 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- ig · zas · er · bayt
- Strongest beat
- zas
- Ending
- bayt
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on zas.
Your turn
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Synonyms
Words like Exacerbate
worsenUse for making an existing problem or condition worse.
aggravateUse in its worsening sense, as in aggravate a shortage; aggravate can also mean annoy.
Antonyms
Opposite words
alleviateUse for making a problem, burden, or unpleasant condition less severe.
Synonym practice
Word family
Exacerbate word family
Base word
exacerbate
verb
exacerbated
Past tense and past participle: the delay exacerbated the shortage.
verb
exacerbating
Present participle: the noise is exacerbating the confusion.
noun
exacerbation
The process or result of making an existing problem more severe.
Related words
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Student support
Understand Exacerbate
Hint for students
Look for a difficulty that already exists and something that increases it. Exacerbate is a formal verb: exacerbate a problem, or a problem is exacerbated by something.
Common mix-up
In usual modern writing, exacerbate means worsen a problem; exasperate means annoy a person. Some dictionaries also record exacerbate in an irritate-person sense, but the modern distinction makes your meaning clearer. Stress the second syllable, ZAS; some speakers begin with ik-SAS rather than ig-ZAS.
Try it in class or at home
Give students the problem "Too few supplies for a group project." Ask for one action that would exacerbate it and one that would alleviate it. Partners explain how each action changes the shortage.
Teacher prompt
In "The extra messages exacerbated the confusion," identify the existing problem and what made it worse. How would the meaning change if the messages alleviated it?
Learning activities
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