aggrieve

Definition of aggrievenext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb aggrieve differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of aggrieve are oppress, persecute, and wrong. While all these words mean "to injure unjustly or outrageously," aggrieve implies suffering caused by an infringement or denial of rights.

a legal aid society representing aggrieved minority groups

When can oppress be used instead of aggrieve?

While in some cases nearly identical to aggrieve, oppress suggests inhumane imposing of burdens one cannot endure or exacting more than one can perform.

a people oppressed by a warmongering tyrant

In what contexts can persecute take the place of aggrieve?

Although the words persecute and aggrieve have much in common, persecute implies a relentless and unremitting subjection to annoyance or suffering.

a child persecuted by constant criticism

Where would wrong be a reasonable alternative to aggrieve?

The words wrong and aggrieve can be used in similar contexts, but wrong implies inflicting injury either unmerited or out of proportion to what one deserves.

a penal system that had wronged him

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 aggrieve Now, rather than view North Korea as an unruly, angry neighbor, China has welcomed it, along with Russia and Iran, as part of what White House officials call a coalition of the aggrieved. — Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2023 British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a chemicals magnate and an avid outdoorsman, was aggrieved when Land Rover replaced its rugged and rudimentary old Defender with a design that shares its engineering principles with current passenger cars. — Ben Oliver, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2023 He was aggrieved when Hitler, in an attempt to make the National Socialists more palatable to the middle class, opposed the Rural People’s Movement, a popular anti-Weimar tax revolt, which was commendably trying to blow up buildings in Berlin. — Thomas Meaney, Harper’s Magazine , 16 Feb. 2023 Foreigners who aggrieve the Chinese Communist Party seriously enough typically get banned from the country. — Tiffany Ap, Quartz, 4 Feb. 2022 See All Example Sentences for aggrieve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggrieve
Verb
  • This is the initial foreshadowing that Rob is incredibly perturbed by being on a TV show.
    — Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The harshest form of that was people insulting his integrity and manhood, which obviously perturbs Williams.
    — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • More than two years later, the neighborhoods most afflicted by gun violence are still waiting, and mystery surrounds a process that should have been straightforward.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Tarantism mostly afflicted impoverished individuals, particularly women (tarantatas).
    — Laura Kiniry, Popular Science, 10 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Concurrently, the duo was seeing a growth of comic conventions, but a disquieting sidelining of artists at the same time.
    — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The light is always ‘slanted,’ casting the novel’s gnomic creations in disquieting atmospherics.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • What happened for me really represents the subtle yet tormenting pressure cooker that Palestinian Jerusalemites are put in.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 9 Nov. 2026
  • In southern India, Diwali celebrates Lord Krishna's victory over the demon Naraka, who is said to have imprisoned women and tormented his subjects.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • In a third discomposing show of baseball in as many days, the Brewers fell, 8-6, to the lowly A's, who looked like anything but in an emphatic weekend-long dismantling of a team that entered in first place.
    — Journal Sentinel, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2023
Verb
  • The trailer ends with Antonia Thomas, Fina Strazza, Viswanathan and Poehler’s characters maiming themselves for the cause.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Roché said six people, including minors, had been maimed in three weeks of protests, losing hands or eyes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The average rent in Spain has almost doubled in the last decade, eating into household budgets and upsetting voters.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Nov. 2026
  • More action sought on housing The average rent in Spain has almost doubled in the last decade, eating into household budgets and upsetting voters.
    — Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Pike and her boyfriend tortured and stabbed a 19-year-old classmate, Colleen Slemmer, to death in 1995.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • In a truly horrifying scene, Sauron tortures a nice Elf couple into supplying some additional information on Marnûkh via poison and the false promise of an antidote.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Aggrieve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggrieve. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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