What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Exacerbate vs Acerbate - What's the difference?

exacerbate | acerbate |

As verbs the difference between exacerbate and acerbate

is that exacerbate is to make worse (pain, anger, etc.); aggravate while acerbate is to exasperate; to irritate.

As an adjective acerbate is

embittered; having a sour disposition or nature.

exacerbate

English

Verb

(exacerbat)
  • To make worse (pain, anger, etc.); aggravate.
    • The proposed shutdown would exacerbate unemployment problems.
  • * 2013 , Louise Taylor, English talent gets left behind as Premier League keeps importing'' (in ''The Guardian , 20 August 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/aug/19/english-talent-premier-league-importing]
    • The reasons for this growing disconnect are myriad and complex but the situation is exacerbated by the reality that those English players who do smash through our game's "glass ceiling" command radically inflated transfer fees.

    Derived terms

    * exacerbatingly * exacerbation

    See also

    * exasperate ----

    acerbate

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (rare) Embittered; having a sour disposition or nature.

    • Verb

    (acerbat)
  • To exasperate; to irritate.
  • * 1869 , , Phineas Finn , ch. 51:
    • Lady Laura had triumphed; but she had no desire to acerbate her husband by any unpalatable allusion to her victory.
  • To make bitter or sour.

    • Synonyms

    * (exasperate) provoke * (make bitter) sour, embitter

    Derived terms

    * acerbation

    References

    * ----