exacerbates

verb

present tense third-person singular of exacerbate
as in deepens
to make more severe a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exacerbates That in turn exacerbates the budgetary pressures. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026 What exacerbates that risk is the pace of AI adoption, combined with lagging governance. — Diane Brady, Fortune, 9 June 2026 Detainees had little access to recreational activities and time outside, which mental health experts say exacerbates their despair. — Perla Trevizo, ProPublica, 3 July 2026 Mysticism promises transformation, but without the transactional logic of self-help, which so often simply exacerbates the problem. — Meghan O’Gieblyn, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 That exacerbates both the potential reach of food safety issues and the risk of shortages, as was the case with the devastating run on formula back in 2022 in the wake of Abbott recalls. — Sarah Todd, STAT, 18 June 2026 Dehydration also exacerbates the risk. — ABC News, 18 June 2026 The outbreak exacerbates existing vulnerabilities like conflict, malnutrition, and low vaccination rates, while fear deters routine healthcare. — Maryanne Murray Buechner, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 The natural disaster exacerbates the ongoing humanitarian and political crises. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbates
  1. deepens
  2. aggravates
  3. complicates
  4. worsens
  5. intensifies
Verb
  • When donors see themselves in the mission rather than just alongside it, retention deepens and giving grows.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • As that infrastructure deepens and the minimum thresholds for private market access remain anchored far above what most EMILLI households can deploy, the gap in available returns between the two tiers is likely to widen further, not narrow.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 June 2026
Definition of deepens
Verb
  • What’s clear is that obesity aggravates matters.
    — Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 26 June 2026
  • Mercury aggravates Jupiter, intensifying your vulnerability in creative or romantic situations.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
Definition of aggravates
Verb
  • By utilizing a platform that provides a One Experience for data, networking, and security, IT teams reduce the variability that traditionally complicates Day 0 and Day 2 operations.
    — Sam Rastogi, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • For Tokyo, that complicates the effectiveness of any unilateral intervention.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 1 July 2026
Definition of complicates
Verb
  • Once the finish is damaged, stains cling more easily, leading people to scrub even harder, which worsens the problem.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 4 July 2026
  • From Montesquieu’s perspective, polarization worsens this appetite for disregarding constitutional norms.
    — Robert A. Ballingall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of worsens
Verb
  • Indeed, the administration’s assault on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act intensifies the damage.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • If employees are expected to produce the same output in less time without better systems in place, the pressure simply intensifies.
    — Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Definition of intensifies

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exacerbated
exacerbates
exacerbating
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Cite this Entry

“Exacerbates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbates. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on exacerbates

Nglish: Translation of exacerbates for Spanish Speakers

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