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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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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 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 Depressed dads are more prone to expressing aggravation, annoyance or even rage, Daniel Singley, a psychologist who founded a therapy center for men, said to the Times. — Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 27 June 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
  • Brighton sold Carlos Baleba to Manchester United in August in a deal worth up to £70m, and also losing Ayari during the summer window would have been a headache for the head coach.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Pay for the features that reduce headaches After 1,700 miles, that might have been the biggest lesson.
    — Chris Hardesty, AJC.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of headache
Noun
  • Campbell is now charged with simple assault and harassment, which are misdemeanor and summary offenses.
    — Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The Times examined the county’s restraining order process, compiling data from hundreds of thousands of cases, and interviewing dozens of domestic abuse and harassment victims, attorneys and victim service providers.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of harassment
Noun
  • The frustration within the Democratic caucus immediately prompted some calls for harsh consequences.
    — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The AfD was created in 2013 as a small anti-euro party before morphing into an anti-migrant force that tapped into voter frustration over immigration and the strains many Germans perceive on housing, jobs and public services.
    — Erik Kirschbaum, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of frustration
Noun
  • The suits say continuous noise from data centers’ cooling systems and power generators is substantially interfering with local neighbors’ use and enjoyment of their property — a legal standard for proving a private nuisance.
    — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Here are some tips for protecting shrubs from this foraging nuisance.
    — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of nuisance
Noun
  • The person upstairs came down, confronted the man involved in the disturbance and shot him at least once, according to the release.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The ecological consequences of losing what remains Some coastal old-growth stands on Vancouver Island have not experienced a major disturbance since the end of the last ice age some 12,000 years ago.
    — Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Noun
  • Its 30% Saccharomyces yeast ferment contains 3% N-acetylglucosamine, an amino sugar that gently encourages surface exfoliation without relying on AHAs or BHAs, helping skin look smoother and more even with less potential for irritation.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Several schools ​cancelled activities on Saturday ⁠with students and residents suffering eye irritation from the ash, while fishermen cancelled their fishing trips due to the eruption, local ​media outlet Kompas reported.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of irritation
Noun
  • People are exhausted by subscriptions, signing up for apps, logins, passwords, and other first-world annoyances that are now common in the search to watch a game on TV.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Ninety-two percent of customers expect quick responses, and the number one customer service annoyance is long wait times.
    — Jason Phillips, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of annoyance
Noun
  • Foulkes leveraged public exasperation over the cost and pace of the bridge project for her argument that McKee’s administration isn’t working for most Rhode Islanders.
    — Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2026
  • By the 11th game of the third set, Keys was hitting herself in the head with her racket, taking her cap off and sighing deep breaths that were either meant to steady her or out of exasperation.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of exasperation

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aggravating
aggravation
aggravations
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Cite this Entry

“Aggravation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravation. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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