Rather than helping, the ill-conceived policy only served to ______ the already strained relationship between the two departments.

A ameliorate

B mitigate

C exacerbate

D alleviate

✓ Correct Answer: Option C

Exacerbate means to make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse. The policy made the 'already strained relationship' even more difficult, worsening it.

💡 Why is C) the correct answer?

The correct answer to the question "Rather than helping, the ill-conceived policy only served to ______ the already strained relationship between the two departments." is Option C: exacerbate.

The other options — A) ameliorate, B) mitigate, D) alleviate — are incorrect for this GRE Exam Prep question. As explained above: Exacerbate means to make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse. The policy made the 'already strained relationship' even more difficult, worsening it.

📚 About This GRE Exam Prep Practice Question

This 2-level GRE Exam Prep question from the Vocabulary topic is part of BrainForge Quiz's free exam preparation library. Each question includes the correct answer and a detailed explanation to help you understand the underlying concept, not just memorize the answer.

How to use this page: Read the question above, consider all four options (A through D), then check the highlighted correct answer and explanation. For active timed practice, start a free GRE Exam Prep practice test or use flashcards for spaced repetition review.

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Rather than helping, the ill-conceived policy only served to ______ the already strained relationship between the two departments.

✓ Correct Answer: Option C

📚 About This GRE Exam Prep Practice Question

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