as in deepens
to make more severe
a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem
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Recent Examples of exacerbates
The scarcity of facilities exacerbates the problem of families having to travel sometimes long distances to visit their disabled children, the court found, further isolating the kids.
—
Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
The state’s notorious summer heat exacerbates overdose deaths, according to recent research.
—Kaitlin Coward, Boston Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Sure, hormones may be bouncing around during midlife as women near menopause, but adding additional hormones to the mix adds risk and actually exacerbates some symptoms.
—Patricia Bencivenga, STAT, 26 Mar. 2026
If the swelling in your lungs exacerbates, however, a dangerous condition called high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) can occur.
—Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026
On Saturday, Duffy told Fox News that spring break travel only exacerbates the delays as families with children wait in the long lines.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 21 Mar. 2026
Swinging and missing exacerbates the pain in Rodriguez’s hand, Schlossnagle said.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 14 Mar. 2026
That spiral exacerbates the affordability crisis.
—Christopher Greenwood, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
The current scale of fossil-fuel burning is also disrupting entire Earth-system functions, which in turn drives fuel demand (as people try to stay warm or cool) and exacerbates the kind of extreme weather that can destroy communities and transform ecosystems.
—Meera Subramanian, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
The state’s notorious summer heat exacerbates overdose deaths, according to recent research.
—Kaitlin Coward, Boston Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Sure, hormones may be bouncing around during midlife as women near menopause, but adding additional hormones to the mix adds risk and actually exacerbates some symptoms.
—Patricia Bencivenga, STAT, 26 Mar. 2026
If the swelling in your lungs exacerbates, however, a dangerous condition called high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) can occur.
—Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026
On Saturday, Duffy told Fox News that spring break travel only exacerbates the delays as families with children wait in the long lines.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 21 Mar. 2026
Swinging and missing exacerbates the pain in Rodriguez’s hand, Schlossnagle said.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 14 Mar. 2026
That spiral exacerbates the affordability crisis.
—Christopher Greenwood, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
The current scale of fossil-fuel burning is also disrupting entire Earth-system functions, which in turn drives fuel demand (as people try to stay warm or cool) and exacerbates the kind of extreme weather that can destroy communities and transform ecosystems.
—Meera Subramanian, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbates
Verb
-
Corporate interests hurt land-lease residents As Central Florida’s housing crisis deepens, a quieter emergency is unfolding in land-lease communities all across the Orlando area.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
After the three are released, their relationship deepens amid the challenges of rejoining society on the outside.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mercury aggravates Jupiter, intensifying your vulnerability in creative or romantic situations.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Flood conditions in Northern Lower Michigan have become increasingly dire in recent days, as heavy rainfall aggravates the winter snowmelt in the region.—
Terrance Friday,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
First, Detroit has centers ahead of him in Larkin, Copp and potentially Kasper next season, with Nate Danielson on the way as well, which either complicates Compher’s path to high-lineup playing time or blocks one of the young players.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
But the ongoing fracturing of American politics, and especially the capricious and authoritarian-leaning tendencies of the current administration, complicates everything.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The incompetence at every level worsens and only two incompetents have been removed.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Charlotte Water has asked customers to cut usage by about 3% to 5% to help protect the region’s supply and avoid stricter measures if the drought worsens.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
So a familiar roster with a familiar coaching staff slogging through a nightmarish first month only intensifies the scrutiny.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Drought intensifies after record-dry start to 2026 A dearth of rain and snow in the first three months of 2026 has helped stoke this spring’s drought.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exacerbates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbates. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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