'Exacerbate' definitions:
Definition of 'exacerbate'
(from WordNet)
verb
Make worse; "This drug aggravates the pain" [syn: worsen, aggravate, exacerbate, exasperate] [ant: ameliorate, amend, better, improve, meliorate]
verb
Exasperate or irritate [syn: exacerbate, exasperate, aggravate]
Definition of 'Exacerbate'
From: GCIDE
- Exacerbate \Ex*ac"er*bate\ ([e^]gz*[a^]s"[~e]r*b[=a]t; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Exacerbated ([e^]gz*[a^]s"[~e]r*b[=a]`t[e^]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Exacerbating ([e^]gz*[a^]s"[~e]r*b[=a]`t[i^]ng).] [L. exacerbatus, p. p. of exacerbare; ex out (intens.) + acerbare. See Acerbate.] To render more violent or bitter; to irritate; to exasperate; to imbitter, as passions or disease. --Brougham. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'exacerbate'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- accelerate,
- acerbate,
- agent provocateur,
- aggravate,
- alienate,
- amplify,
- annoy,
- antagonize,
- augment,
- beef up,
- bitter,
- blow up,
- build up,
- chafe,
- complicate,
- concentrate,
- condense,
- consolidate,
- damage,
- deepen,
- deteriorate,
- dilapidate,
- double,
- embitter,
- endamage,
- enhance,
- enlarge,
- envenom,
- estrange,
- exaggerate,
- exasperate,
- feed the fire,
- fret,
- gall,
- grate,
- grate on,
- gravel,
- grit,
- harm,
- heat up,
- heighten,
- hop up,
- hot up,
- hurt,
- impair,
- increase,
- inflame,
- infuriate,
- injure,
- intensify,
- irritate,
- jazz up,
- key up,
- madden,
- magnify,
- make acute,
- make complex,
- make worse,
- provoke,
- put back,
- ramify,
- rasp,
- redouble,
- reinforce,
- set against,
- set at odds,
- set on edge,
- sharpen,
- soup up,
- sour,
- step up,
- strengthen,
- triple,
- weaken,
- whet,
- worsen