exacerbate
[verb]
Synonyms: acerbate, embitter, envenom

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Antonyms: assuage
Contrasted words: appease, mollify, pacify, placate, quell, lessen, moderate
Related Idioms: add fuel to the flame, fan the flames, feed the fire, pour oil on the fire
Related Words: annoy, exasperate, irritate, provoke, aggravate, heighten, intensify, inflame

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

ex‧a‧cer‧bate /ɪɡˈzæsəbeɪt $ -sər-/ verb [transitive]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: past participle of exacerbare, from acerbus 'bitter']
to make a bad situation worse:
The recession has exacerbated this problem.
I don’t want to exacerbate the situation.
—exacerbation /ɪɡˌzæsəˈbeɪʃən $ -sər-/ noun [uncountable]

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲