(v. t.) To render more violent or bitter; to irriate; as to exacerbate racial tensions\; to exasperate; to imbitter, as passions or disease.

accelerate acerbate agent provocateur aggravate alienate amplify annoy antagonize augment beef up bitter blow up build up chafe complicate concentrate condense consolidate damage deepen deteriorate dilapidate double embitter endamage enhance enlarge envenom estrange exaggerate exasperate feed the fire fret gall grate grate on gravel grit harm heat up heighten hop up hot up hurt impair increase inflame infuriate injure intensify irritate jazz up key up madden magnify make acute make complex make worse provoke put back ramify rasp redouble reinforce set against set at odds set on edge sharpen soup up sour step up strengthen triple weaken whet worsen