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
Both overhead fluorescent lighting and natural light can aggravate a migraine episode, so turn off all lights and close any curtains or blinds to block outdoor light.4
Keep the space quiet: Loud and repetitive noises often make migraine episodes worse.
—
Sarah Bradley, Health, 10 June 2025
The Trump-Biden strategy only aggravated regional tensions.
—Vali Nasr, Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2025
Without complementary requirements for hardening the homes themselves, widespread clearing of landscaping immediately around homes could do little to reduce risk and could even aggravate the danger.
—Max Moritz, Mercury News, 5 June 2025
The minuscule particles can lead to breathing problems like bronchitis and cause inflammation that aggravates diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Sarah Bradley, Health, 10 June 2025
The Trump-Biden strategy only aggravated regional tensions.
—Vali Nasr, Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2025
Without complementary requirements for hardening the homes themselves, widespread clearing of landscaping immediately around homes could do little to reduce risk and could even aggravate the danger.
—Max Moritz, Mercury News, 5 June 2025
The minuscule particles can lead to breathing problems like bronchitis and cause inflammation that aggravates diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravate
Verb
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If your idea of patience looks like being endlessly agreeable, never getting annoyed, and staying calm through any inconvenience….—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
17 June 2025
-
We get used to it quickly, and will be annoyed when it is replaced.—
Roger Dooley,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Verb
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Some locals in Venice, which has dealt with overtourism that has strained the city’s infrastructure and services for years, will protest the wedding over concerns its scale will worsen some of the issues created by excessive tourist crowds.—
Antonio Pequeño IV,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
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Maybe Meta made subtle changes in its training recipe that accidentally worsened the memorization problem.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
20 June 2025
Verb
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Spicy foods: Spicy foods may irritate the stomach and intestines, which could worsen or extend food poisoning symptoms.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
21 June 2025
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This will irritate them and also decrease their likelihood of returning.—
Bartosz Skwarczek,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Verb
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The fractures that divided Senate Republicans before the bill text was released on June 16 remain – or have deepened – now that the details are clear.—
Riley Beggin,
USA Today,
18 June 2025
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The distribution agreement deepens the collaboration between TF1 and Netflix, which already co-produce series together, including Les Combattantes, L’Agence and Tout le bleu du ciel.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Also on this episode: With Emmy nomination voting ending on Monday, the Roundtable takes one more look at the major categories, how the number of submissions has changed some of the competition and who didn’t bother to join in.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
20 June 2025
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Orban said in February that organisers should not even bother organizing Pride in Budapest this year.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
19 June 2025
Verb
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And at times, journalists have reported law enforcement exacerbated rather than simply encountered tensions with protesters — an assessment that contradicts official statements.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
16 June 2025
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The depression of the eighteen-nineties, exacerbated by McKinley’s tariffs, stirred American support for taking colonies in order to right the economy.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
Verb
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Say your mother kept bugging you to change a bad habit.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
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Next season is when all the little things start to bug me.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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While inflation and rising interest rates have intensified financial pressure across the board, the impact has been disproportionately severe for those already operating at a capital disadvantage, which includes many women of color entrepreneurs.—
Alejandra Rojas,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
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Black women are often conditioned to prioritize others’ needs over their own, and this tendency may intensify during the summertime demands.—
Essence,
Essence,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aggravate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravate. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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