exacerbating

verb

present participle of exacerbate
as in worsening
to make more severe a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exacerbating Another exacerbating factor is that from 2019-20 through 2024-25, enrollment and hiring moved in opposite direction. — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 Mainstream political parties previously avoided publicly advocating for a return to the European Union out of concern over alienating voters in pro Brexit regions and exacerbating societal polarization. — CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026 Some of us would like to spend less time cursing sun damage, some of us have been honing a gentle routine for managing acne for years, and some of us want to smooth without exacerbating rosacea or eczema. — Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 2026 Analysts said that the revelation by Washington confirmed an open secret but the timing of the announcement risked exacerbating tensions with Beijing and the risk of a weapons race in space. — CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026 Gallup polling shows public confidence in schools generally has declined since the COVID-19 pandemic closed classrooms, exacerbating academic declines, mental health issues and other problems. — Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026 Harder to pay down debt The relentlessly high gas prices are exacerbating the affordability crisis affecting many Americans. — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026 Heat is rarely the sole cause of death, often exacerbating existing health conditions. — Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026 The power cuts also affected water pumping stations, exacerbating long-running concerns over access to drinking water in parts of the country. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbating
  1. worsening
  2. deepening
  3. complicating
Verb
  • If your neck pain is chronic, worsening or accompanied by other symptoms, that’s a conversation for a doctor or physical therapist, not a problem a vibrating neckband is going to solve.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • But oil revenue has been particularly constrained by theft and pipeline vandalism that has cost the country about $300 billion in recent years, compounding in a worsening security crisis that has hampered the overall economy.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of worsening
Verb
  • Poor provenance leads to weak training assumptions, brittle behavior, eroded trust, more friction and slower deployment, with each turn deepening the problem rather than correcting it.
    — Richard Clough, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Washington must avoid worsening its own demographic problems through the kind of self-defeating policies that are deepening China’s struggle.
    — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of deepening
Verb
  • In recent years, homeowners, developers and businesses have complained that navigating the Planning Department can be complicating and confusing.
    — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Hypersonic weapons can operate between these regimes, potentially complicating detection and interception.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of complicating

Browse Nearby Words

exacerbates
exacerbating
exact
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Cite this Entry

“Exacerbating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbating. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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