exacerbate verb [ T ] uk/ɪɡˈzæs.ə.beɪt/ us/ɪɡˈzæs.ɚ.beɪt/
使恶化;使加重;使加剧to make something that is already bad even worse
This attack will exacerbate the already tense relations between the two communities. 这次袭击将使两个团体间已经紧张的关系更加恶化。
Related word: exacerbation