aggravate

verb ag·gra·vate \ ˈa-grə-ˌvāt \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Usage guide: Common Uses of aggravate, aggravation, and aggravating

Examples: aggravate in a Sentence

Definition of aggravate

aggravated; aggravating

transitive verb

1 : to make worse, more serious, or more severe : to intensify unpleasantly

problems have been aggravated by neglect

2 a : to rouse to displeasure or anger by usually persistent and often petty goading

were aggravated by the noise and traffic

b : to produce inflammation in

3 obsolete

a : to make heavy : burden

b : increase

See aggravate defined for English-language learners

See aggravate defined for kids

Common Uses of aggravate, aggravation, and aggravating

Although aggravate has been used to refer to rousing someone to anger since the 17th century, it has been the object of disapproval only since about 1870. It is used in expository prose

- when his silly conceit … about his not-very-good early work has begun to aggravate us
- —William Styron

but seems to be more common in speech and casual writing.

- a good profession for him, because bus drivers get aggravated
- —Jackie Gleason, interview, 1986
- & now this letter comes to aggravate me a thousand times worse
- —Mark Twain, letter, 1864

The "make worse" meaning is far more common in published prose than the "rouse to anger" meaning. Such is not the case, however, with aggravation and aggravating. Aggravation is used in the "irritation, provocation" sense somewhat more than in its earlier senses; aggravating has practically no use other than to express annoyance.

Examples of aggravate in a Sentence

She aggravated an old knee injury.
They're afraid that we might aggravate an already bad situation.
A headache can be aggravated by too much exercise.
The symptoms were aggravated by drinking alcohol.
All of these delays really aggravate me.
Our neighbors were aggravated by all the noise.

Recent Examples of aggravate from the Web

Kinner, 30, was booked into the Ada County Jail on nine counts of aggravated battery and six counts of injury to a child.

— john bacon, USA TODAY, "Boise promises 'kindness for those fleeing violence' after attack on refugee children," 2 July 2018
Kinner appeared in court on Monday, charged with nine counts of aggravated battery and six counts of injury to a child.

— gina martinez, Time, "Girl, 3, Dies After Idaho Mass Stabbing as Police Reveal Victims Were From Syria, Ethiopia and Iraq," 2 July 2018
Jail records for Kinner showed he was arrested early Sunday morning and charged with nine counts of aggravated battery and six counts of injury to a child.

— amy b wang, Washington Post, "Boise stabbing: Refugees among 9 injured in attack at apartment complex, police say," 1 July 2018
Authorities arrested a suspect, 30-year-old Timmy Kinner, who was booked into the Ada County Jail on nine counts of aggravated battery and six counts of injury to a child.

— arian campo-flores, WSJ, "Man Charged With Stabbing Nine People in Idaho," 1 July 2018
Thirty-year-old Timmy Kinner is facing nine counts of aggravated battery and six counts of injury to a child.

— Fox News, "The Latest: Idaho mass stabbing victim flown to Utah," 1 July 2018
Timmy Kinner, 30, is facing nine counts of aggravated battery and six counts of injury to a child.

— rebecca boone, chicagotribune.com, "6 children among 9 injured in Idaho mass stabbing," 1 July 2018
The Bellefontaine woman faces three counts of aggravated murder in the deaths of a toddler and two infants in 2014 and 2015.

— CBS News, "Woman charged with killing 3 sons appeals court order," 27 June 2018
Cosby is scheduled for sentencing Sept. 24 on three counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and assaulting a woman at his suburban Philadelphia mansion in 2004.

— NBC News, "Bill Cosby fires legal team ahead of sex assault sentencing," 15 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'aggravate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of aggravate

borrowed from Latin aggravātus, past participle of aggravāre "to weigh down, burden, oppress, make worse," from ad- ad- + gravāre "to make heavy, weigh down," verbal derivative of gravis "heavy" — more at grieve

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1530

in the meaning defined at sense 3

See Words from the same year

aggravate Synonyms

AGGRAVATE Defined for English Language Learners

aggravate

verb

Definition of aggravate for English Language Learners

: to make (an injury, problem, etc.) more serious or severe
: to make (someone) angry : to annoy or bother (someone)

AGGRAVATE Defined for Kids

aggravate

verb ag·gra·vate \ ˈa-grə-ˌvāt \

Definition of aggravate for Students

aggravated; aggravating

1 : to make worse or more serious

aggravate an injury

Don't aggravate an already bad situation.

2 : to make angry usually by bothering again and again

All of these delays really aggravate me.

Word Root of aggravate

The Latin word gravis, meaning “heavy” or “serious,” gives us the root grav. Words from the Latin gravis have something to do with heaviness or seriousness. Something grave, or important, such as a situation, requires serious thought and consideration. To aggravate is to make a situation more serious. Gravity is a force that pulls everything towards the ground making it feel heavy.