Standard Lemma guide

exacerbation

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: /ɪɡˈzæsɚˌbeɪʃən/
  • UK: /ɪɡˈzæsəˌbeɪʃən/
  • UK: /ɪkˈsæs-/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: IH0 G Z AE2 S ER0 B EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An increase in the severity of something (such as a disease)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

action that makes a problem or a disease (or its symptoms) worse

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the aggravation of her condition resulted from lack of care

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: aggravation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: intensification

3

noun

Meaning 3

violent and bitter exasperation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • his foolishness was followed by an exacerbation of their quarrel

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: exasperation

History

Etymology

From Middle English exacerbacyoun, from Latin exacerbātiōnem, from exacerbāre (“to provoke, make harsh”). See exacerbate.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: влошаване (vlošavane) — increase in severity
  • Catalan: exacerbació — increase in severity
  • French: exacerbation — increase in severity
  • German: Verschärfung — increase in severity
  • German: Verschlimmerung — increase in severity
  • German: Erbitterung — increase in severity
  • Greek: επιδείνωση (epideínosi) — increase in severity
  • Indonesian: eksaserbasi — increase in severity
  • Italian: esacerbazione — increase in severity
  • Italian: esacerbamento — increase in severity
  • Latin: exacerbātiō — increase in severity
  • Polish: pogorszenie — increase in severity
  • Polish: zaostrzenie — increase in severity
  • Portuguese: exacerbação — increase in severity
  • Serbo-Croatian: egzacerbacija — increase in severity
  • Spanish: exacerbación — increase in severity