aggravation

noun

ag·​gra·​va·​tion ˌa-grə-ˈvā-shən 

1

: an act or circumstance that intensifies something or makes something worse

His interference was an aggravation of the situation.

2

: the act, action, or result of aggravating something or someone

especially : an increasing in seriousness or severity

aggravation of an injury

aggravation of the offense

3

informal : irritation, provocation

Her job involves a lot of stress and aggravation.

Usage of Aggravate, Aggravated, Aggravating, and Aggravation

Aggravate can mean both "to make worse or more serious" and "to make angry or irritated especially by bothering again and again," but writers for most of the 20th century were advised against the latter, and this meaning is still not encountered frequently in formal contexts. Likewise, the meanings of aggravated, aggravating, and aggravation that relate to anger or irritation are most at home in informal use.

Synonyms of aggravation

• headache
• frustration
• nuisance
• annoyance
• inconvenience
• thorn

Examples of aggravation in a Sentence

trying to avoid the aggravation of an existing back problem

I don't need all this aggravation.

This car has caused me nothing but aggravation.

Many talented people now feel that a career in politics isn't worth all the aggravation.

I don't need all these aggravations.

Recent Examples on the Web

According to Commanders' head coach Dan Quinn, McLaurin's re-aggravation of his quad injury will force him to miss Sunday's game. —Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025

From airports to airplanes, hotels to restaurants, a literal buffet of slights, misunderstandings, and aggravations is offered up to the viewer in a one-hour comedic feast. —Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Oct. 2025

For the fans, there was the additional aggravation of getting to and from Wembley for matches. —Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

Improper vehicle maintenance can cost you extra money and unnecessary aggravation. —Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin aggravātiōn-, aggravātiō "a weighing down," from Latin aggravāre "to weigh down, aggravate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

First Known Use

1546, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for aggravation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

aggravation

noun

ag·​gra·​va·​tion ˌag-rə-ˈvā-shən 

1

: the act or result of aggravating

2

: something that aggravates