transitive verb. To vex or annoy.

Embittered; exasperated; severe.

To make sour, bitter, or harsh to the taste; hence, to embitter or exasperate.

transitive verb. To sour; to imbitter; to irritate.

adjective. Embittered; having a sour disposition or nature.

verb. To exasperate; to irritate.

verb. To make bitter or sour.

verb. cause to be bitter or resentful

verb. make sour or bitter

"With the rating agencies calling even America's triple-A rating into question, not all the euro-zone summit meetings, of which there have been many and will be many more, can persuade lenders that it is a good idea to make capital available to Greece, or Portugal, or Ireland on terms that will not stifle growth in those countries and acerbate their downward spiral."

acerbation  

alter  change  modify  

embitter  imbitter  irritate  provoke  sour  

acerbated  acerbates  acerbating