Definition of exacerbate

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ex·ac·er·bate    (g-zsr-bt) KEY 

TRANSITIVE VERB:
ex·ac·er·bat·ed, ex·ac·er·bat·ing, ex·ac·er·bates

To increase the severity, violence, or bitterness of; aggravate: a speech that exacerbated racial tensions; a heavy rainfall that exacerbated the flood problems.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Latin exacerbre, exacerbt- : ex-, intensive pref. ; see ex- + acerbre, to make harsh (from acerbus, harsh; see ak- in Indo-European roots)

OTHER FORMS:
ex·acer·bation(Noun)