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Exacerbation: meaning, definitions and examples

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exacerbation

 

[ ɪɡˌzæsərˈbeɪʃən ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

medical term

A sudden worsening of symptoms or an increase in the severity of a disease. It often requires medical intervention and can be life-threatening.

Synonyms

aggravation, decline, deterioration

Examples of usage

  • The patient experienced an exacerbation of his asthma symptoms after being exposed to smoke.
  • During the winter months, there is usually an exacerbation of flu cases in the community.
Context #2 | Noun

general usage

A situation or event that makes a problem, bad situation, or feeling worse.

Synonyms

escalation, intensification, worsening

Examples of usage

  • The argument led to an exacerbation of tensions between the two countries.
  • The economic crisis caused an exacerbation of poverty in the region.

Translations

Translations of the word "exacerbation" in other languages:

🇵🇹 exacerbação

🇮🇳 तीव्रता

🇩🇪 Verschärfung

🇮🇩 eksaserbasi

🇺🇦 загострення

🇵🇱 zaostrzenie

🇯🇵 悪化

🇫🇷 exacerbation

🇪🇸 exacerbación

🇹🇷 şiddetlenme

🇰🇷 악화

🇸🇦 تفاقم

🇨🇿 zhoršení

🇸🇰 zhoršenie

🇨🇳 加剧

🇸🇮 poslabšanje

🇮🇸 versnun

🇰🇿 күшейту

🇬🇪 გართულება

🇦🇿 kəskinləşmə

🇲🇽 exacerbación

Etymology

The word 'exacerbation' comes from the Latin word 'exacerbat-' which means 'to irritate, provoke'. The term has been used in the medical field to describe the worsening of symptoms since the early 17th century. Over time, it has also been adopted in general usage to refer to any situation that makes a problem or situation worse.

See also: exacerbate, exacerbated.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #22,426, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.