1
as in annoys
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deepens
to make more severe
overheated rhetoric that only aggravated an already tense situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of aggravates
Money could be at the heart of the power struggle when Mars aggravates Pluto.
—
Usa Today, USA Today, 24 Sep. 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, 5 Aug. 2025
Climate change exacerbates chronic and contagious disease, worsens food and water shortages, increases the risk of pandemics, and aggravates mass displacement.
—Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2019
Usa Today, USA Today, 24 Sep. 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, 5 Aug. 2025
Climate change exacerbates chronic and contagious disease, worsens food and water shortages, increases the risk of pandemics, and aggravates mass displacement.
—Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravates
Verb
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Ask yourself what annoys you specifically about that behavior, Davis says.—
NPR,
NPR,
28 Oct. 2025
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There are days when my running annoys my wife, my children, or my colleagues.—
Nicholas Thompson,
The Atlantic,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The film follows poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley as their love deepens, and the couple finds newfound appreciation for the preciousness of life after a terminal illness diagnosis.—
Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
5 Nov. 2025
-
So the Barbra connection deepens and deepens.—
Joe Lynch,
Billboard,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
That’s what bothers me about it.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Why ban books, Postman asked, if no one bothers to read them?—
Time,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Scheduled for retirement in 2026, the ship’s age complicates the analysis of events.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
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That complicates things for the Blue Jays who could either be riding off into the sunset happy as can be or mad at the world for losing Game 6 and Game 7.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The group exhausts and irritates opposing pitchers.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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During his appearance on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast alongside his The Roses costar Olivia Colman, the 49-year-old actor opened up about what irritates his family members.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
People.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This only exacerbates that need.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
12 Oct. 2025
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His loving, pragmatic wife, Mi-ri (Son Ye-jin), gamely downsizes their middle-class life to fit their new reality — but her resoluteness only exacerbates his despair.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Just like a traditional hangover, ignoring the need to rest only worsens an introvert hangover.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
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Chronic brain inflammation contributes to neuronal death and worsens amyloid and tau pathology.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
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Chinch bugs overwinter in moist, deep thatch.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aggravates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravates. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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