aggravate
/ˈæɡ.ɹə.veɪ̯t/verb
To make a bad situation, offense, or condition even worse or more serious.
Example sentences
- “Lying to the police only aggravated his offense.”
- “Running on a sprained ankle will only aggravate the injury.”
Careful writers reserve it for making things worse: you aggravate an injury. Using it to mean "annoy" is common but informal.