AGGRIEVE Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

aggrieve

verb

Definition of aggrieve

as in to perturb

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as in to afflict

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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

In another study conducted around the same time, Picard found that perturbing mitochondria changed their host cell’s gene expression and growth, even when the organelles’ ability to transform energy was unchanged.

— Rachel Nuwer, Quanta Magazine, 17 July 2026
The satellites orbit thousands of kilometers above the Earth, well above altitudes where wisps of atmosphere can perturb their orbits.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 8 July 2026

Definition of perturb

Verb

In a powerful and disquieting GQ profile, the band and some immediate friends and family unraveled the struggles that have plagued their lucrative but life-altering reunion, a kind of cautionary tale for leveling up after settling down.

— Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 4 May 2026
The author calculated the shock wave’s energy that would be deposited in a human body by using physics similar to that of a bullet impact, which, though disquieting to say the least, is not a bad assumption from a scientific standpoint.

— Phil Plait, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026

Definition of disquiet

Verb

Or suppose you’re being tormented by someone in power, but lack the ability to explain to others—or even to yourself—exactly how you’re being wronged.

— Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 24 July 2026
The trailer shows Depp as Scrooge tormented by the terrifying spirits of Christmas, haunting him throughout the Christmas season.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 23 July 2026

Definition of torment

Verb

Forget flowers, the men of dark romances maim as a grand gesture.

— Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 18 July 2026
All of the 200 children and adolescents initially qualified for the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder; after the group’s fifth session, with war still killing and maiming their friends, only 30% qualified.

— James Gordon, Time, 14 July 2026

Definition of maim

Verb

Cal Poly opened the year by upsetting Big West conference favorite UC Santa Barbara, positioning the men’s team for its first undefeated dual-meet season since moving to Division I in 1994.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 23 July 2026
Should unseeded Wrexham upset the odds to win both games, a semi-final against Danish champions Koge would be next up in another mini-tournament featuring Gintra of Lithuania and Scotland’s Hearts.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Definition of upset

Verb

Yes, Emmett Till, the 14-year-old Black boy who was abducted, tortured and lynched in Mississippi in 1955 after a White woman accused him of making an advance toward her.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2026
The case involves allegations by three men that they were tortured while imprisoned in Venezuela.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026

Definition of torture

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“Aggrieve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggrieve. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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