aggravate

1 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 Synonyms of aggravate irritate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat, exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, itch, nark [British], nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, vexWords Related to aggravate hassle, heckle; nag; inflame (also enflame), provoke, rouse; badger, bait, bullyrag (also ballyrag), devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease; anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil; agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry; affront, insult, miff, offend, outrageNear Antonyms of aggravate appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate; delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy; assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe

2 to make more severe overheated rhetoric that only aggravated racial tension in the city Synonyms of aggravate exacerbate, complicate, worsenWords Related to aggravate amplify, deepen, intensify, magnifyNear Antonyms of aggravate ameliorate, better, improveAntonyms of aggravate allay, alleviate, assuage, ease, help, mitigate, relieve