aggravate

verb

ˈa-grə-ˌvāt How to pronounce aggravate (audio)
Definition of aggravatenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to worsen
to make more severe overheated rhetoric that only aggravated an already tense situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of aggravate In that contest, however, Buckner aggravated his neck injury and eventually opted to undergo season-ending surgery. — James Boyd, New York Times, 28 July 2026 This bullpen session was a chance for Ohtani to test his knee, which before the injection seemed to be aggravated by pitching. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026 This ensures your team can provide timely help to a client post purchase, rather than aggravating a situation. — Serenity Gibbons, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 But when Dusty takes a tumble and aggravates his old wrist injury, that puts him out of the running. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravate
  1. annoy
  2. worsen
  3. irritate
  4. deepen
  5. bother
  6. exacerbate
  7. bug
  8. intensify
Verb
  • Andreu Martínez of Spain humorously said in July 2024 that the use of squirt guns was to annoy the tourists a bit.
    — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2026
  • Hotel-booking platform HotelTonight surveyed 447 of its American adult users in June about what annoys them the most during travel.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 21 July 2026
Definition of annoy
Verb
  • According to court documents, Wilson’s relationship with the producers had started deteriorating before filming began in 2023 – and worsened during post-production.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Weakening commodity prices and a worsening industrial relations climate in Australia is draining investor enthusiasm for the world’s biggest mining company, BHP.
    — Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of worsen
Verb
  • Honest, accurate journalism may sometimes irritate politicians, but our right to report and present that reporting to the public without government interference is fully protected by the US Constitution.
    — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • It must be made from a comfortable material that won’t chafe or otherwise irritate the skin.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 23 July 2026
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • Communities will debate whether AI improves access to knowledge or deepens dependence on a few private platforms.
    — Gerui Wang, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Allowing your lawn to wilt a little between waterings helps deepen the root system.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of deepen
Verb
  • Lowe’s marginal position in Britain doesn’t seem to bother his allies in the United States.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026
  • She couldn’t be bothered to hear half of the testimony about carriage horses.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
Definition of bother
Verb
  • Still, that decline was exacerbated by its trading near all-time highs ahead of the earnings release, as some market participants had rotated into it to avoid the AI capex drag on other big tech companies.
    — Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • According to RadarOnline, those questions are exacerbated by things like the fact that the monarch and his wife keep separate bedrooms.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of exacerbate
Verb
  • Lift sheets, curtains and cushions to check for bed bugs or signs of bed bugs before settling in.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
  • The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, a law-enforcement agency known as NABU, had bugged Mindich’s apartment in Kyiv, and detectives picked up his conversations about Fire Point.
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
Definition of bug
Verb
  • The Book of Five Rings has only grown in relevance as demands on executives have intensified.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • The Sun in your 7th House of Relationships opposes Pluto in your sign, intensifying the push-pull between your needs and someone else’s expectations.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2026
Definition of intensify

Browse Nearby Words

aggrandizing
aggravate
aggravated
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Cite this Entry

“Aggravate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravate. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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