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
The cause of Hernández's injury was not readily apparent, but manager Dave Roberts told reporters in Miami that Hernández aggravated the injury running down a ball in the outfield.
—
Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025
Under his rule, Syria served as a critical corridor for the flow of Iranian rockets and other weapons to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, aggravating tensions with Israel.
—David Makovsky, Foreign Affairs, 6 May 2025
People with lower-back conditions, such as spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, or spinal instability, may find the position aggravates their condition.
—Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 5 May 2025
Because that directly violated the no contact order, Hurd was arrested for stalking and aggravated harassment, and went back on trial.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025
Under his rule, Syria served as a critical corridor for the flow of Iranian rockets and other weapons to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, aggravating tensions with Israel.
—David Makovsky, Foreign Affairs, 6 May 2025
People with lower-back conditions, such as spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, or spinal instability, may find the position aggravates their condition.
—Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 5 May 2025
Because that directly violated the no contact order, Hurd was arrested for stalking and aggravated harassment, and went back on trial.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravate
Verb
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But until Tuesday afternoon, four days out, there had been no announcement of what acts would be performing, or even where the show would be held The radio silence annoyed fans, who said so online.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2025
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Nearly one-half of Republicans (52%) are annoyed with how much attention is being paid to climate change vs. only 13% for Democrats.—
Robert G. Eccles,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Verb
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What To Know According to the study published in Communications Earth & Environment, the states with the highest mortality rates from wildfire smoke worsened by climate change between 2006 and 2020 were in the West.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
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Delays also worsened, with 78.1% of flights arriving on time last year, down from 78.3% in 2023.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Use your hands: Since washcloths and sponges can irritate the skin, apply cleansers using your fingers, moving then over the skin in a circular motion.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
14 May 2025
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Aggressive or improper neck manipulation can irritate or compress nerves in your cervical spine, causing pain, numbness, muscle weakness, or tingling that radiates into your shoulders, arms, or hands.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
12 May 2025
Verb
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The temporary truce pulls the world's two largest economies back from the brink after trade between them nearly ground to a halt, raising recession risks in the U.S. and deepening deflationary pressures in China.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
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Much like the overbuilding in the real estate sector that triggered a crisis and erased much of Chinese household wealth, excessive industrial capacity has deepened imbalances in the economy and raised questions about the model’s sustainability, particularly if broader conditions worsen.—
Li Yuan,
New York Times,
13 May 2025
Verb
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Or Xander Schauffele, the defending PGA champion who is surely not bothered by the lack of attention on him early this week.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
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That doesn’t mean the implication doesn’t bother him.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
Verb
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But in Monterey County, one of the more expensive regions in the nation, the obligation to provide an exploding number of guest workers with suitable housing was exacerbating a regional affordable housing crisis.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2025
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That exacerbated low staffing levels at the Philadelphia facility, where controllers oversee planes at Newark, New Jersey, airport, forcing the FAA to slow the airport’s traffic.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
9 May 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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At the same time, customer acquisition costs are climbing, lifetime value is shrinking and the competitive landscape is intensifying.—
Amit Jhawar,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
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Since then, Israel has announced a plan to intensify its war on Gaza.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aggravate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravate. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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