This is the 13918th most frequent Russian word.
обострять
"Обострять" means "to aggravate, intensify, or exacerbate."
The word "обострять" is used here to mean causing an increase or aggravation of a feeling, specifically anxiety in this context.
Громкие внезапные звуки могут обострять тревогу людей.
Loud sudden sounds can aggravate people's anxiety.
Here "обострять" conveys a worsening or intensification of a problem or condition, relating to the specific context of scarcity.
Проблема недостатка ресурсов часто обостряется в условиях кризиса.
The issue of resource shortages often exacerbates in times of crisis.
In this sentence, "обострять" is used to refer to causing an escalation or intensification of tension in an interpersonal or social scenario.