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 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
And Hinch was jeered again after Jones struck out, bookending the booing and showing Tigers fans are perturbed over the team’s downfall.

— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026

Definition of perturb

Verb

Forty-nine of the afflicted have been hospitalized; of those, thirty-four have gone home.

— News Desk, Artforum, 15 July 2026
Jonestown afflicted Naipaul’s vision, his way of deciphering not just political manias but the dreariness of urban life, the perpetual doom of the nuclear-arms race.

— Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 14 July 2026

Definition of afflict

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

Vava, Brazil vs Sweden, 1958 (second goal) Garrincha torments Sweden left-back Sven Axbom — not for the first time — and Vava is on hand to complete a carbon copy of his first goal.

— Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Their absence clearly tormented him, but his total dependence on Sara seemed to embarrass him, too.

— Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

Definition of torment

Verb

The attack only maims Aegon, who is left bedridden and unable to walk on his own.

— Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 20 June 2026
Towards the end of the season, Chris relapses and starts using again, leading to a car crash that leaves him maimed, giving Tony no other option but to whack his underling.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026

Definition of maim

Verb

Poseidon, upset that Odysseus blinded his son, the Cyclops Polyphemus, decides to make his return home difficult and long and wet.

— Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
Experts now say the move could upset a steady flow of footwear sourcing from the country, which has become a critical supplier of leather shoes to the United States market.

— Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 17 July 2026

Definition of upset

Verb

Where the film diverts from the norm lies in the unique, complicated characters and their weird, tortured even touching relationships.

— Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 July 2026
Along these routes, the bulldozers piled up mounds to enclose fortified compounds, military outposts and detention facilities where Palestinians were interrogated and tortured.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

Definition of torture

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“Aggrieve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggrieve. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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