aggrieve

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 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 Amazon prohibits class action lawsuits in which aggrieved sellers can aggregate their claims and have their case decided by a judge or a jury. Sandeep Vaheesan, The New Republic, 28 Feb. 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
  • The collision would trigger fusion, perturbing a magnetic field, which in turn produces power.
    Harry Booth, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
  • For example, obesity induces chronic fat inflammation, which subsequently leads to systemic inflammation and perturbs the normal systemic metabolism.
    Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Eaton and Palisades Fires afflicted every class and demographic group.
    Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Illness and job losses left Allen Gray vulnerable to a problem that afflicts thousands of Cincinnati seniors.
    Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • As a consequence, the president has given fresh impetus to a story that has disquieted even parts of his base.
    Niall Stanage, The Hill, 9 Sep. 2025
  • In fact, the energy is disquieting and distracting to you.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Stop tormenting the boy, says Helga.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The kids of 1962 Derry, Maine, have already been tormented by plenty of gruesome incarnations of IT, the supernatural monster that haunts their town.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 9 Nov. 2025
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
  • Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed and maimed in the war; a United Nations commission said in September that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
    Matt Bradley, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2025
  • By holding a button, a simple katana suddenly becomes a 10-foot blade, or a rapier sprouts a demolition-grade power drill — all capable of viscerally dismembering and maiming foes.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But his announcement of the deal immediately upset some UC surgeons.
    Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Nov. 2025
  • The first step for an improbable run to Arlington is to upset the Cougars in Provo, Utah, which is easier said than done.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • After female marches, which became iconic in the Belarusian revolution 2020, of course, the regime started to arrest women too and torture them too, the same as men.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Daniel is just one of an unknown number of migrants who are currently being tortured on a near daily basis, somewhere in Libya’s Sahara Desert.
    Mick Krever, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Aggrieve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggrieve. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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