aggravation

noun

ˌa-grə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce aggravation (audio)
Definition of aggravationnext
1
as in headache
something that is a source of irritation a reminder designed to prevent the aggravation of phones ringing during movies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in harassment
the act of making unwelcome intrusions upon another the neighbors' constant aggravations prompted us to move out of town

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in frustration
the feeling of impatience or anger caused by another's repeated disagreeable acts informed her children that she didn't need the extra aggravation of hearing them fight in the back seat while they were stuck in traffic

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 aggravation Planning ahead could save you money and aggravation. — Terry Savage, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026 And once Betts felt comfortable swinging a bat without risking aggravation, his hitting ramp-up was swift. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026 Starkey was particularly concerned because his wife had recently had spinal surgery and a wreck or further aggravation could be catastrophic. — Scott Butler, Florida Times-Union, 8 May 2026 Brandon Ingram had a nightmare series before the aggravation of a heel injury ended his series in the second quarter of Game 5. — Eric Koreen, New York Times, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for aggravation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravation
  1. headache
  2. harassment
  3. frustration
  4. nuisance
  5. disturbance
  6. irritation
  7. annoyance
  8. exasperation
Noun
  • AutoCamp is also a short walk to the main drag, sparing guests the headache of the limited parking around shops and restaurants.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Friday provided a brief but clear reminder of what kind of headache that could be for opposing defensive coordinators.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of headache
Noun
  • Per a source familiar with Wednesday’s meeting, the WNBA remains invested in maintaining the safety and well-being of players and addressing online harassment whenever possible.
    — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The harassment from teammates began after that, per the lawsuit, and included exclusion from team meetings, refusal to acknowledge her presence, laughing at her and threatening her only friend not to hang out with her.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of harassment
Noun
  • Whenever Biya eventually leaves office, his successor will inherit a country also facing attacks by Boko Haram militants in the north and deep economic frustration among young people.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than treating Debra’s frustrations as something distant from her own life, Heaton drew from the reality of raising her own kids while working on the series.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of frustration
Noun
  • The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued at least 20 violation notices to Lineage for public nuisance.
    — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • On Thursday, a judge found Meta had created a public nuisance and ordered it to pay an additional $567 million and implement youth-safety measures.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of nuisance
Noun
  • The incident happened last week at the Creekside community pool after police responded to a disturbance call.
    — Marissa Armas, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The newest disturbance in the Atlantic moved off the coast of Africa late Tuesday.
    — Robin Webb, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Noun
  • In the days that followed, students and staff reported headaches, sore throats, skin irritation and red eyes, according to state Agriculture Department interviews.
    — Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Sensitive skin will appreciate this formula from Celimax, made with centella asiatica and panthenol, which help calm redness and soothe irritation.
    — Anna Traver, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritation
Noun
  • Unfortunately, the sound system problems that began during the Romantics set (and would actually continue during Toto’s performance) hit their height of annoyance while Cross was on the stage.
    — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Seat switchers—passengers who ask to switch seats—also made the list as the top annoyance for 20 percent of respondents.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of annoyance
Noun
  • Vain to the point of exasperation, computer genius and hacker Roddy did not have to make an error to be thrown out of MI5 headquarters.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The result is a documentary that implicitly honors these incredible doctors, but more acutely leverages their plight to address the numbing exasperation that such an atrocity is designed to instill among otherwise good people.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of exasperation

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Cite this Entry

“Aggravation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravation. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of aggravation for Spanish Speakers

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