aggravating 1 of 2

adjective

ˈa-grə-ˌvā-tiŋ How to pronounce aggravating (audio)
Definition of aggravatingnext
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

aggravating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of aggravate
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
Adjective
Bagent, though, will also have to resist the urge to press on Sunday, an understandable temptation given the aggravating, albeit minor, interruptions to his growth over the past two months. — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 On Friday, Cowles assessed a $100 fine for each of the excess contributions and then doubled the fine, citing the case’s aggravating factors. — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
The shutdown, which could last for weeks – the extent of the damage is not yet clear – is aggravating an already tough situation for the global oil market. — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026 Ibarra’s assault charge also carries enhancements for causing great bodily injury, aggravating factors and for being previously convicted of multiple felonies, according to court records. — Jason Green, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for aggravating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravating
  1. annoying
  2. irritating
  3. worsening
  4. frustrating
  5. bothering
  6. deepening
  7. disturbing
  8. bugging
Adjective
  • After five years in development at Retro Studios, the original makers of the Metroid Prime series, fans were greeted with annoying side characters, a bike for Samus to roam the barren landscape on, and a deeply unsatisfying ending.
    — Daryl Baxter, Space.com, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The truth, and its handling, hangs over the show, which must be annoying for those involved, and simultaneously is why many people bought tickets.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of annoying
Verb
  • Notably, the landfill operator’s air quality monitors had repeatedly reported high levels of lung-irritating hydrogen sulfide in 2023 and 2024.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The ingredient releases gradually overnight to restore elasticity, even out the skin tone, and minimize the appearance of wrinkles without irritating the skin.
    — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of irritating
Verb
  • Akio Kon | Bloomberg | Getty Images As Intel comes off its steepest stock drop since the 1970s due to a worsening outlook for the PC market, the chipmaker is facing intensifying pressure to get its flailing foundry business off the ground.
    — Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The trial was halted early, though, when results indicated that the drug was worsening people’s cognition.
    — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of worsening
Adjective
  • The result can be a frustrating cycle in which borrowers repeatedly pay down balances only to rebuild them when another expense arises.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • And the amount that show business and comedy have changed — the strikes and mergers and COVID and the rest of it — has been really frustrating.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of frustrating
Verb
  • His work is autobiographical and based on whatever has been bothering him that year.
    — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • For example, companies that benefit from customers not bothering to cancel subscriptions, compare prices, or search for better deals have taken a beating in recent weeks.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of bothering
Verb
  • As a result, Ukraine’s government faces a deepening cash crunch as the air war chokes its revenue from steel, agriculture and other key sources.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026
  • All favor deepening alliances and partnerships, modernizing the military, fixing the defense industrial base, strengthening deterrence, tackling transnational challenges such as global public health, and pursuing hardheaded diplomacy with rivals.
    — THOMAS WRIGHT, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of deepening
Adjective
  • Gainey could not be reached for comment, but while the current O'Connor administration has been cooperating with investigators, Chief of Staff Dann Gilman said these revelations are disturbing.
    — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Even at their most disturbing, scenes describing carnage tend to be colorful and amusing.
    — Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Verb
  • The Department of Justice’s prosecution of a Saudi national for allegedly bugging an OpenAI conference room is causing anxiety among OpenAI employees, many of whom are foreign nationals.
    — Benjamin Guggenheim, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
  • On Monday, a court granted the US government’s request to deny release of a former OpenAI engineer accused of bugging a top-secret conference room to steal the frontier lab’s secrets.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of bugging

Browse Nearby Words

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aggravating
aggravation
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Cite this Entry

“Aggravating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravating. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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