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
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Recent Examples of aggravate
If environmental conditions are at levels that aggravate your lung health, exercise indoors at home or in a gym or take a walk inside a shopping mall.
—
Carisa Brewster, Verywell Health, 24 Apr. 2025
Drinking alcohol may aggravate symptoms and cause inflammation.8 High-FODMAP foods: The word FODMAP describes carbohydrates that the body may not digest well.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 17 Apr. 2025
Extended exposure to pollutants like ozone or fine particulate matter can lead to coughing, throat irritation and shortness of breath, and may aggravate conditions like asthma and bronchitis.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
Breathing danger: Health risks from ash Breathing volcanic ash can irritate the throat and lungs, trigger asthma attacks and aggravate chronic respiratory conditions such as COPD.
—David Kitchen, The Conversation, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Carisa Brewster, Verywell Health, 24 Apr. 2025
Drinking alcohol may aggravate symptoms and cause inflammation.8 High-FODMAP foods: The word FODMAP describes carbohydrates that the body may not digest well.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 17 Apr. 2025
Extended exposure to pollutants like ozone or fine particulate matter can lead to coughing, throat irritation and shortness of breath, and may aggravate conditions like asthma and bronchitis.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
Breathing danger: Health risks from ash Breathing volcanic ash can irritate the throat and lungs, trigger asthma attacks and aggravate chronic respiratory conditions such as COPD.
—David Kitchen, The Conversation, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravate
Verb
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Seiders, 44, is charged with felony child pornography possession, misdemeanor annoying a child under 18, concealing a camera with intent to invade privacy and attempting to conceal a camera.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
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What annoyed me was good old-fashioned stupid gameplay.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The administration’s threat of tariffs on pharmaceuticals risks political backlash, worsening drug shortages and future battles over who pays.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
22 Apr. 2025
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Some evidence suggests that creatine may worsen mania symptoms in people with bipolar disorder.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This can be particularly irritating to eczema-prone skin.—
Sierra Leone Starks,
Allure,
18 Apr. 2025
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Pairing some active ingredients can irritate the skin, and other combinations may reduce the effectiveness of the ingredients.1 1.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Grief can soften us and deepen our empathy or bring on rage and isolation.—
Friends of Karen,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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As for the film’s source material, Chew-Bose says that making Bonjour Tristesse significantly deepened her appreciation for Sagan’s very real novel.—
Jessie Heyman,
Vogue,
1 May 2025
Verb
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Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow was popular enough that fans wanted a solo story, but the studio didn't bother to make it until her character was already dead in the major timeline, then skipped the theatrical release, which Johansson sued them about.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
19 Apr. 2025
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So much so that Gillaspie didn’t bother to even grab a towel last summer when a pitching coach yelled into the visiting showers to alert him that Triple-A El Paso manager Pete Zamora needed to see him.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Carolina’s just a lot deeper than New Jersey, and that’s exacerbated by who’s missing from the lineup.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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For them and others, the government’s COVID policies exacerbated those feelings, which now may inform vaccine views.—
Karlyn Bowman,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Curry is 37 and played Sunday with his right thumb wrapped in athletic tape, nursing an ailment that has bugged him all season.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2025
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And for me, nothing bugs me more than engaging in social activities to check the box rather than making meaningful connections.—
Time,
Time,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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As the pope’s funeral approached, security around the Vatican intensified.—
Alan Yuhas,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
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President Trump’s recent ultimatum proposing U.S. recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea has intensified the diplomatic divide within Europe, forcing European capitals to choose between Kyiv or Washington.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aggravate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravate. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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