Skip to content

arreciar

to intensify, to worsen

verb ah-rreh-SYAHR Rare

Also means

to pick up (of wind, rain)

Usage Note

Arreciar is most naturally used for weather and conflict growing stronger; arreció el viento means 'the wind picked up.' It is also used figuratively — arreció la polémica — to convey that a controversy has grown fiercer. The verb is regular -ar and does not have stem changes.

Examples

"La tormenta arreció de repente."

Natural Translation

The storm suddenly intensified.

Explore Spanish by topic