ex·ac·er·bate [ ig zássər bàyt ](past and past participleex·ac·er·bat·ed, present participleex·ac·er·bat·ing, 3rd person present singularex·ac·er·bates)
transitive verb
Definition:
make worse: to make an already bad or problematic situation worse Her silence merely exacerbated the problem.
[Mid-17th century. < Latin exacerbat-, past participle of exacerbare "make thoroughly harsh" < acerbus "harsh, bitter"]
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