SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
exacerbation
noun
A worsening of an existing problem or unpleasant condition.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Worsening
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topDeterioration is the process of becoming worse; exacerbation may also identify an episode of increased severity.
RELATED FORMS, ONE FEATURED ENTRY
The exacerbate family
exacerbation is grouped under exacerbate in the main dictionaries. This form keeps its meaning and previous study record.
exacerbateverb
To make an existing problem or undesirable condition worse.
Make a problem worse
Closest synonyms
Related expressions
Further delays would exacerbate the scheduling problem.
A rumor about hidden judging rules began to engender suspicion among members of a photography club. An organizer's sarcastic reply threatened to exacerbate the disagreement instead of answering it.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See exacerbation in use
The abrupt cancellation caused an exacerbation of the tension between the groups.
An exacerbation of the existing backlog follows when the depot also stops sorting parcels for an entire week.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license