exacerbating
Aggravating the situation
Exacerbating means making something bad even worse.
Problems, symptoms, tensions, and conflicts can all be exacerbated: The drought exacerbated food shortages.
The word implies an existing negative condition that intensifies rather than something newly created.
His comments only exacerbated the situation.
Causing irritation or worsening
- intensifyingIncreasing in strength
- compoundingElements merging progressively
- amplifyingIncreasing strength or intensity
- escalatingIncreasing by degrees
deteriorating · deepening · heightening · magnifying · inflaming · complicating · accelerating · increasing
aggravating
Causing irritation or worsening
- intensifyingIncreasing in strength
- compoundingElements merging progressively
- amplifyingIncreasing strength or intensity
escalating · deteriorating · deepening · heightening · magnifying · inflaming · complicating · accelerating · increasing · multiplying
irritating
Causing mild frustration
- antagonizingDeliberately causing hostility
- incitingUrging others to act
- inflamingArousing strong emotion
triggering · stirring · rousing · fomenting · kindling · igniting · stoking · goading · spurring · instigating
exacerbatingalleviating
Making less severe
ameliorating · mitigating · easing · relieving · lessening