EXASPERATE

worsen, aggravate, exacerbate, exasperate

(verb) make worse; “This drug aggravates the pain”

infuriate, exasperate, incense

(verb) make furious

exacerbate, exasperate, aggravate

(verb) exasperate or irritate

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

exasperate (third-person singular simple present exasperates, present participle exasperating, simple past and past participle exasperated)

To tax the patience of, irk, frustrate, vex, provoke, annoy; to make angry.

Adjective

exasperate (comparative more exasperate, superlative most exasperate)

(obsolete) exasperated; embittered.

Source: Wiktionary

Ex*as"per*ate, a. Etym: [L. exasperatus, p. p. of exsasperare to roughen, exasperate; ex out (intens.) + asperare to make rough, asper rough. See Asperity.]

Definition: Exasperated; imbittered. [Obs.] Shak. Like swallows which the exasperate dying year Sets spinning. Mrs. Browning.

Ex*as"per*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Exsasperated; p. pr. & vb. n. Exasperating.]

1. To irritate in a high degree; to provoke; to enrage; to exscite or to inflame the anger of; as, to exasperate a person or his feelings. To exsasperate them against the king of France. Addison.

2. To make grievous, or more grievous or malignant; to aggravate; to imbitter; as, to exasperate enmity. To exasperate the ways of death. Sir T. Browne.

Syn.

– To irritate; provoke. See Irritate.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition