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

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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

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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 Salvador Perez drove in an early run before leaving in the sixth with right elbow aggravation for the Royals, who have lost four straight and 10 of 13. — CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 However, Perez was removed from the game in the sixth due to right elbow aggravation. — Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026 Surprisingly, the aggravation that the Spider-Man team endured five years ago hasn’t stopped them from applying a similar playbook to Sadie Sink’s top-secret role in Brand New Day. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026 So much talk about his ankle this offseason, but an aggravation there obviously isn’t the only issue that could cost him time over a long season. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 July 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
  • The biggest headache for Thune was the Save America Act, a voter ID bill that lacked a strategy to become law in the Senate.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In Meta’s case, creepy video-recording incidents and privacy-light tampering have caused severe headaches for the company.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of headache
Noun
  • Six Lincoln-Way students accused of racial harassment were ultimately allowed to withdraw from the school game incident, instead of being expelled.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The Board of Regents will vote Thursday on changes to the Title IX policy, which governs harassment and discrimination.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of harassment
Noun
  • The compounding frustrations of this situation, fueled by too much alcohol, finally expose Uta’s double life.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • My stepmother took out her anger and frustration with her husband on me.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of frustration
Noun
  • But a big cooler is one guest that can really crash and burn the party – a hard, bulky nuisance that's uncomfortable on or near the bed and unsecure outside the vehicle.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Attorneys for the Bloomfield group have argued that the building behind the Pyles does not create a nuisance.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of nuisance
Noun
  • And in an unrelated incident on the morning of June 9, 2026, Jackson was arrested after Los Angeles police responded to a domestic disturbance call at his West Hills home late the previous night.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Jacobs was arrested May 26, three days after police officers came to his Wisconsin home to investigate a disturbance.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Noun
  • Musk isn’t the sort of guy who’s lets a minor linguistic or chronological irritation get in the way of a grand plan.
    — Jason Barlow, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
  • In some cases, irritation or damage to the surface of the eye can lead to more serious problems.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of irritation
Noun
  • All the women piled into Louisa’s company car are off scrambling for safety in this episode, which leads to some quality bickering between Louisa and Shirley that only their mutual annoyance with Moira can silence.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The third season sees Ranma and fiancée Akane have to deal with old annoyances, new dangers, and even more shenanigans.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of annoyance
Noun
  • The tweet ended with an emoji of a man facepalming, conveying Johnson’s exasperation over the last play of Washington’s 27-27 tie with the New York Giants.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • But through a bit of TV fame, and Ramsay’s signature yelling, ranting, exasperation and, in the end, brotherly wisdom, perhaps its restaurant dreams can come true.
    — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 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 18 Oct. 2026.

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