aggrieve

verb

ag·​grieve ə-ˈgrēv 

aggrieved; aggrieving

transitive verb

1

: to give pain or trouble to : distress

2

: to inflict injury on

Choose the Right Synonym for aggrieve

wrong, oppress, persecute, aggrieve mean to injure unjustly or outrageously.

wrong implies inflicting injury either unmerited or out of proportion to what one deserves.

a penal system that had wronged him

oppress suggests inhumane imposing of burdens one cannot endure or exacting more than one can perform.

a people oppressed by a warmongering tyrant

persecute implies a relentless and unremitting subjection to annoyance or suffering.

a child persecuted by constant criticism

aggrieve implies suffering caused by an infringement or denial of rights.

a legal aid society representing aggrieved minority groups

Examples of aggrieve in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bronco fans may be somewhat aggrieved that Madsen will automatically slide back into the starting spot, given what Cutforth has done over the last two weeks. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 7 Nov. 2026

Is there any enjoyment in it, if his opinion is that he is aggrieved? — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026

The cast is game, too, particularly Son Sang-kyu, who is very funny as a feckless chatterbox with a thing for retro record players, and Moon Choi, who plays the moodier, more legitimately aggrieved of two Song daughters. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2026

The fallout will be significant, and United have every right to be aggrieved. — Graham Scott, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English agreven "to affect adversely, disturb, distress," borrowed from Anglo-French agrever "to make burdensome, worsen," going back to Latin aggravāre "to weigh down, burden, make worse" — more at aggravate

Note: The vowel -e- in agrever shows influence of grever "to grieve."

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for aggrieve

• achieve
• believe
• conceive
• deceive
• naive
• perceive
• receive
• relieve
• reprieve
• retrieve
• breve
• cleave

Legal Definition

aggrieve

transitive verb

ag·​grieve ə-ˈgrēv 

aggrieved; aggrieving

: to inflict injury on: as

a

: to adversely affect the interests of

was not the party aggrieved by the exemption

b

: to infringe or deny the rights of

a person aggrieved by an unlawful search and seizure

—Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 41(g)