as in annoying
causing annoyance
there's nothing so aggravating as a blaring car alarm that no one is paying any attention to
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in irritating
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in worsening
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 aggravating
ArsTechnica, 7 May 2025
Within this framework, certain Economic Nationalists (such as Pat Buchanan) have argued in favor of an across-the-board flat rate tariff, avoiding the aggravating complexity of different rates for different products from different countries.
—Nathan Lewis, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Tim Britton, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
Climate change is aggravating the problem.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravating
Adjective
The latest version of the standard has launched, offering multiple ways to streamline the usually aggravating setup process.
—ArsTechnica, 7 May 2025
Within this framework, certain Economic Nationalists (such as Pat Buchanan) have argued in favor of an across-the-board flat rate tariff, avoiding the aggravating complexity of different rates for different products from different countries.
—Nathan Lewis, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
Nimmo felt better in time for the postseason, at least until aggravating the plantar fasciitis in his left foot during the National League Division Series.
—Tim Britton, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
Climate change is aggravating the problem.
—Nectar Gan, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravating
Adjective
-
Unfortunately, everything else in this misadventure, from annoying love interests to cloying sidekicks, is a minecart going off the rails.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
20 June 2025
-
And the positivity surrounding it is annoying, including my own.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
When handled, these treefrogs secrete a sticky toxin as a defense, which can be irritating to mucous membranes of people or pets who make contact with them.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
8 Apr. 2025
-
All three ingredients offer significant benefits for skin brightening and skin texture, but also tend to be irritating to people with sensitive skin.—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Highly flammable tamarisk shrubs have taken root in thick stands near streams in the western US, and eucalyptus — one of the primary invasive trees blamed for worsening Chile’s recent wildfires as well as fires in Portugal — increases wildfire risk in California.—
Kylie Mohr,
Vox,
8 Jan. 2025
-
The United States withdrew its forces from Europe while demanding debt payments from allies, who passed the costs on to Germany, worsening its financial turmoil and hastening its slide into Nazism.—
Michael Beckley,
Foreign Affairs,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
What’s more frustrating is that neither of the bracket’s two best overall performers will be proceeding on to the semifinals, and in hindsight, one of them — Acid Betty — really wasn’t given a chance.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
-
The most frustrating character on The Bear continues to be Claire (Molly Gordon), whose on-screen role in Season 3 was limited, but whose importance even as an unseen force has grown and grown.—
Linda Holmes,
NPR,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Jan. 2025
-
The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
But a decade later, the 38-story structure has become emblematic of Hartford’s deepening office market troubles.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Ukraine and its European backers have watched on with deepening concern over the thawing of relations between Washington and Moscow.—
Kevin Sabet,
Newsweek,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Content moderators are workers who remove disturbing content from social media—data which is often then used to train AI systems like ChatGPT or Facebook’s algorithms.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
19 June 2025
-
These stories reveal a disturbing truth: AI can automate and amplify existing biases, leading to real-world injustice.—
Sajal Singh,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aggravating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravating. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share