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

The new study provides a possible mechanism for this, showing that plastic-water interfaces can perturb proteins, cell membranes, and more.

— Payal Dhar, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Not only does Mehta deliver a stunning debut performance, as a young girl perturbed by the world and her place within it, but the film’s sinister, shadowy tone makes even natural spaces feel imposing.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of perturb

Verb

The margin was so wide that issues that afflicted Republicans’ electoral chances elsewhere in the country, including high gas prices and the Iran war, didn’t substantially harm Tuberville.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
Today, Alzheimer’s afflicts roughly one in nine Americans over sixty-five and, along with related dementias, has been estimated to cost the economy about three-quarters of a trillion dollars a year.

— Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of afflict

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

Definition of disquiet

Verb

Buffalo’s Josh Allen, 30, is no longer the only AFC East quarterback who torments Miami.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026
The sinister presence torments the family, and when their two-year-old suddenly vanishes, fear spirals into hysteria and paranoia as the family confronts a terrifying force that has turned their connected world against them.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of torment

Verb

But there’s a lot of moving pieces, including the fact that the singer was also recently upset by the fact that pictures of her wedding décor leaked.

— Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 4 Nov. 2026
Somehow Serra upset Sherman Oaks Notre Dame last week, then won a coin flip to finish in third place in the Mission League.

— Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of upset

Verb

Serhiy, like Zabuzhko, locates his captor’s impulse to torture him in the very pages written by the Russian novelist.

— Madeleine Wulfahrt, New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2026
The pirate crew is said to have tortured, killed and raped those aboard the royal ship, sparking global outrage and what is considered the first worldwide manhunt.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of torture

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“Aggrieve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggrieve. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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