exacerbate
/ɪkˈsæs-/verb
To make a bad situation, problem, or unpleasant feeling even worse.
Example sentences
- “Scratching the rash will only exacerbate the itching.”
- “Cutting bus routes would only exacerbate traffic in the city center.”
Its object is always something already bad: tensions, shortages, an injury. Saying a move exacerbated the situation implies the situation was bad.