exacerbate

== English == === Etymology === First attested in 1660; borrowed from Latin exacerbātus, perfect passive participle of Latin exacerbō (“to provoke”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ex- (“out of; thoroughly”) + acerbō (“to embitter, harshen or worsen”). === Pronunciation === (US) enPR: ĭg-zăs'ər-bāt, IPA(key): /ɪɡˈzæsɚˌbeɪt/ (UK) IPA(key): /ɪɡˈzæsəˌbeɪt/, /ɪkˈsæs-/ Hyphenation: ex‧acer‧bate === Verb === exacerbate (third-person singular simple present exacerbates, present participle exacerbating, simple past and past participle exacerbated) (transitive) To make worse (a problem, bad situation, negative feeling, etc.). Synonym: aggravate Coordinate terms: intensify, deteriorate Near-synonym: worsen ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== acerbate ==== Translations ==== === See also === exacervation exasperate === References === Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “exacerbate”, in Online Etymology Dictionary. == Latin == === Verb === exacerbāte second-person plural present active imperative of exacerbō == Spanish == === Verb === exacerbate second-person singular voseo imperative of exacerbar combined with te