exacerbate
verb
[ ɪɡˈzasəbeɪt ]
• make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse.
• "the exorbitant cost of land in urban areas only exacerbated the problem"
Similar:
aggravate,
make worse,
worsen,
inflame,
compound,
intensify,
increase,
heighten,
magnify,
add to,
amplify,
augment,
make matters worse,
compound the problem,
add fuel to the fire/flames,
fan the flames,
rub salt in the wounds,
add insult to injury,
Origin:
mid 17th century: from Latin exacerbat- ‘made harsh’, from the verb exacerbare, from ex- (expressing inducement of a state) + acerbus ‘harsh, bitter’.
