aggravate

verb

ˈa-grə-ˌvāt How to pronounce aggravate (audio)
Definition of aggravatenext
1
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts it really aggravates me when I arrive 10 minutes before the stated closing time, and the store's closed already

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to worsen
to make more severe overheated rhetoric that only aggravated an already tense situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of aggravate With Williams dealing with an injury that’s always tricky for players in this league, there’s no reason to rush him back and risk aggravating it again. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026 Michigan running back Jordan Marshall appeared to aggravate an injury in the second half. — Arkansas Online, 27 Sep. 2026 Injury report Michigan running back Jordan Marshall appeared to aggravate an injury in the second half. — CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026 Stribling suffered an ankle injury in Week 1 and was expected to miss 10 weeks, giving him a timeline to return in November, while Kirk aggravated a calf injury early in training camp and is eligible to return Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravate
  1. annoy
  2. worsen
  3. irritate
  4. deepen
  5. bother
  6. exacerbate
  7. bug
  8. intensify
Verb
  • Returning the sarcasm tends to cause the same problem, with two people annoyed instead of one.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Williams is annoyed and wants order while Kirke is hardly paying attention and lugs vases of flowers through her home.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of annoy
Verb
  • The 20 countries at greatest risk of a worsening humanitarian crisis, ranked by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) annually in our Emergency Watchlist, represent just 12% of the global population, but 90% of those in humanitarian need.
    — David Miliband, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Both have become tools for wealthy families seeking easier travel or a fallback if political and economic conditions worsen at home.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of worsen
Verb
  • Some develop in varicose veins; others form where a needle or IV has irritated a vein.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • So testing a movie that temporarily sounds irritating is really, really hard.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • While security is by far the most pressing priority, new projections from the IMF have revealed the war’s deepening economic toll.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Washington, for its part, is creating friction in many of its partnerships instead of deepening them, and risks squandering its network just as its adversaries are learning to make more of theirs.
    — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of deepen
Verb
  • Gee, who used to pop into fraternity parties unannounced to keep tabs on them, said he is not bothered by the reintegration of the three formerly rogue organizations.
    — Brittany Shammas, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • This is a dense picture—there’s almost too much to unpack, if you can be bothered to care about any of it.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of bother
Verb
  • The British Antarctic Survey researchers emphasize that future losses could be exacerbated if emissions are not reduced.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The Santa Ana winds and hot temperatures have exacerbated fire danger in Southern California and forecasters say gusts will likely strengthen.
    — Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of exacerbate
Verb
  • And as the team moved into the couple’s guest house on their San Diego rental property, the filmmakers feared that the home was bugged and ordered a device to try to de-bug it, without success.
    — Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
  • He’s bugged Jay — the two met online and married two years ago before opening their first restaurant last year — to make sure that includes his crispy duck panang curry.
    — Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of bug
Verb
  • Russia has also intensified attacks on Ukraine's transport infrastructure, including road border crossings, railways and shipping routes, Derkach said.
    — Elsa Ohlen,Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Support for separation intensified among some Albertans following COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates.
    — Sheena Rossiter, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of intensify

Browse Nearby Words

aggrandizing
aggravate
aggravated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Aggravate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All