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exacerbate

[/ɪɡˈzæsərbeɪt/]
verb
exacerbar
1. to make something bad or unpleasant worse or more intense
The lack of communication exacerbated the conflict between the two teams.
A falta de comunicação exacerbou o conflito entre os dois times.
2. to increase the severity or intensity of something negative
Stress can exacerbate existing health problems.
O estresse pode exacerbar problemas de saúde existentes.
Synonyms
aggravateworsenintensifyinflamecompoundescalate
Antonyms
alleviatemitigateameliorateeaseimproverelieve

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
exacerbar
standard usage, widely understood
São Paulo
exacerbar
common in formal and informal contexts
Portugal
exacerbar
preferred formal term; 'piorar' used more colloquially

Related Idioms & Phrases

add fuel to the fire
pour oil on troubled waters (antonym usage)
make matters worse
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