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exacerbate |igˈzasərˌbāt|
verb [ trans. ]
make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse : the forest fire was exacerbated by the lack of rain.
DERIVATIVES
exacerbation |igˌzasərˈbā sh ən| noun
ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from Latin exacerbat- ‘made harsh,’ from the verb exacerbare, from ex- (expressing inducement of a state) + acerbus ‘harsh, bitter.’ The noun exacerbation ( late Middle English ) originally meant [provocation to anger.]
USAGE On the difference between exacerbate and exasperate, see usage at exasperate .