aggravating

adjective

ag·​gra·​vat·​ing ˈa-grə-ˌvā-tiŋ 

: arousing displeasure, impatience, or anger

an aggravating habit

Common Uses of Aggravate, Aggravation, and Aggravating: Usage Guide

Although aggravate has been used to refer to rousing someone to anger since the 17th century, it has been the object of disapproval only since about 1870. It is used in expository prose

when his silly conceit … about his not-very-good early work has begun to aggravate us

—William Styron

but seems to be more common in speech and casual writing.

a good profession for him, because bus drivers get aggravated

—Jackie Gleason, interview, 1986

& now this letter comes to aggravate me a thousand times worse

—Mark Twain, letter, 1864

The "make worse" meaning is far more common in published prose than the "rouse to anger" meaning. Such is not the case, however, with aggravation and aggravating. Aggravation is used in the "irritation, provocation" sense somewhat more than in its earlier senses; aggravating has practically no use other than to express annoyance.

Synonyms

• abrasive
• annoying
• bothersome
• carking
• chafing
• disturbing
• exasperating
• frustrating
• galling
• irksome
• irritating
• maddening
• nettlesome
• nettling
• peeving
• pesky
• pestiferous
• pestilent
• pestilential
• pesty
• plaguey
• plaguy
• rankling
• rebarbative
• riling
• vexatious
• vexing

Examples of aggravating in a Sentence

there's nothing so aggravating as a blaring car alarm that no one is paying any attention to

Recent Examples on the Web

Under current state law, a jury must unanimously find that prosecutors proved at least one aggravating factor beyond a reasonable doubt. —Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 22 Feb. 2024

Her willingness to push boundaries can be admirable and aggravating, but it’s always aimed at providing top-quality care to her patients. —Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 10 Feb. 2024

If anything, fewer people may squash an ant with their shoe after knowing that these often aggravating insects may someday save our lives. —Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 15 Jan. 2024

As for human waste, nothing is more aggravating than finding a used campsite with small piles of feces and toilet paper. —Craig Caudill, Field & Stream, 18 Oct. 2023

Pendergrass says those words are especially aggravating when they’re spoken by citizens from her own race. —Tyrone Beason, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023

My sister checks in regularly, excited that each step, no matter how joyful or aggravating, is one step closer to parenthood for my husband and me (and aunthood for her). —Maressa Brown, Parents, 31 Aug. 2023

The enhancement can serve as an aggravating factor at sentencing, though with or without it Eaton faces 20 years to life in prison. —Alexandra E. Petri, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2023

The jury was asked to return to receive further instruction on deliberating on aggravating factors, including Landaeta's use of a sword to behead Castro, per NBC Bay Area. —Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 22 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of aggravate

First Known Use

1673, in the meaning defined above