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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of aggravate
These payments, which are tax-free, are intended for veterans whose disabilities are connected to illnesses, injuries, or events that developed or were aggravated during active duty.
—
Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Smith missed last week’s win over NC State and aggravated his calf strain in the first quarter against Boise State.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
This past spring, sleep deprivation—partially due to a new baby, partially due to Parker’s manic creative process—aggravated his tinnitus.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
Wasps will become aggravated if their nest is disturbed, so it's not recommended to knock down the nest.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Smith missed last week’s win over NC State and aggravated his calf strain in the first quarter against Boise State.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
This past spring, sleep deprivation—partially due to a new baby, partially due to Parker’s manic creative process—aggravated his tinnitus.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
Wasps will become aggravated if their nest is disturbed, so it's not recommended to knock down the nest.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravate
Verb
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The situation could be taken as concerning for Alonso, given the precedents of previous Madrid coaches who have tried to impose a certain style of play, or who otherwise annoy superstar players used to having things more their own way.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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One report, citing a source close to Sheridan, even claimed the writer was annoyed that Paramount sent too many of its top suits to a meeting designed to keep Sheridan onboard, arguing that Ellison had messed up by bringing more than two execs along with him.—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The government shutdown threatens that economic output, and according to Schroeder, almost all service members are at serious threat of missing a paycheck if the shutdown extends into mid-November, worsening the situation.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Oct. 2025
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But his blunt dismissal of APEC risks worsening America’s reputation at a forum that represents nearly 40% of the world’s population and more than half of global goods trade.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Molnar said the team wanted to design a system that avoided irritating brain tissue.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
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But Chelsea won’t have it, shutting the whole thing down in a way that clearly irritates her.—
Anne Victoria Clark,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Japan, one of the world’s most homogeneous nations, faces deepening labor shortages as its birth rate plummets and its population ages.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Using fractional diffusion theory, the research deepens understanding of transient charging behaviors in complex materials, which is key to designing high-performance components used for advanced engineering electrochemical systems in general.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That’s what bothers me about it.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
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The 20-year-old didn’t bother inspecting it further, threw it in the gutter and went on with her day.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The region has also been heavily battered by drought and flooding, which has exacerbated food insecurity, resources, and living conditions for thousands.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
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His aggressive and unpredictable tariffs have only exacerbated that, as businesses have become hesitant to hire more workers due to uncertainty.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Time to start bugging a friend with Hulu + Live TV instead or invest in an antenna.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
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Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Melissa rapidly intensified, jumping from a 70 mph tropical storm on Saturday morning to a 140 mph Category 4 hurricane Sunday morning.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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The 2023 edition opened a month later as Israel intensified its bombing campaign on Gaza, which has since killed more than 67,000 people, injured another 170,000 and razed the Palestinian territory to the ground, prompting accusations of genocide, which Israel has strongly rejected.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aggravate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravate. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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