exacerbate

Make more severe

To exacerbate is to make something bad worse: The drought exacerbated food shortages, His comments only exacerbated tensions.

The word applies to problems, conflicts, symptoms, or conditions—things already negative that intensify.

It's more formal than worsen and implies aggravation rather than mere continuation.

worsen

deteriorate

Grow worse over time

degradeLower in standing
declineDecrease or refuse
degenerateDecline morally or physically

impair · damage · weaken · compound · intensify · heighten · amplify · magnify · escalate · inflame

inflame

irritate

Cause mild anger

provokeIncite a response
stokeFeed a fire
fuelEnergy source material

kindle · incite · foment · arouse · enrage · anger · antagonize · embitter · envenom · rile

complicate

compound

Combined into one

entangleTwist into confusion
confoundTo thoroughly puzzle
muddleDisordered, bewildered state

worsen · embroil · enmesh · snarl · tangle · convolute · obfuscate · confuse · perplex · thicken

Categories

adding insult to injuryrub it in, twist the knife, make it worse, worsen, compound
escalationescalation, escalate, ratchet up, worsen, intensify
fancy wordsgrandiloquent, magniloquent, sesquipedalian, pulchritudinous, tintinnabulation

Opposites

worsening vs. improving a condition

exacerbateameliorate

Make less severe

alleviate · mitigate · relieve · ease · remedy

intensifying vs. diminishing

exacerbatemoderate

Lessen intensity or preside

reduce · diminish · calm · lessen · temper

Family

exacerbation, exacerbated, exacerbates, exacerbating, exacerbations

Familiarity: Top 200,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G