exacerbating

Definitions

Making a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse.

Increasing the severity, bitterness, or violence of a disease or condition.

Examples

Scratching the rash will only end up exacerbating the irritation.

The lack of communication is exacerbating the tension between the two departments.

Synonyms

aggravating worsening compounding intensifying inflaming exasperating heightening

Antonyms

alleviating mitigating assuaging improving relieving soothing ameliorating