aggravate

verb

ˈa-grə-ˌvāt How to pronounce aggravate (audio)
Definition of aggravatenext
1
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts it really aggravates me when I arrive 10 minutes before the stated closing time, and the store's closed already

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to worsen
to make more severe overheated rhetoric that only aggravated an already tense situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 aggravate But Leclerc stayed out for several laps, aggravating Hamilton in the process. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026 American voters are already frustrated with the high cost of living which has been aggravated by the war in Iran. — CBS News, 22 Aug. 2026 While Samuel caught 1-of-2 targets in his preseason debut, Mike Evans remained in street clothes after aggravating a quadriceps in Tuesday’s joint practice. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026 Funding any individual channel also risks aggravating the thousands of channels that don’t get any cash. — Lucas Shaw, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravate
  1. annoy
  2. worsen
  3. irritate
  4. deepen
  5. bother
  6. exacerbate
  7. bug
  8. intensify
Verb
  • That very same thing is what annoys Liz about Charles 500 years later.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • At Wintrust Arena, Freedom didn’t just annoy Cloud and other players.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of annoy
Verb
  • Conflict between the government and rebel groups in the eastern region, attacks on health workers and an intense population movement also have worsened the outbreak.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Venezuela’s oil output began to stagnate, a situation which worsened further after the coup attempt of April 2002.
    — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of worsen
Verb
  • Antosh recommends checking with a doctor before using a high-pressure bidet right after childbirth or with genital ulcers, since powerful streams can irritate healing tissue.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Oh, and don’t worry about sparkles irritating your gaze—the formula is ophthalmologist-tested.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • Since seizing power, Tiani’s government has shifted away from Western partners, deepened ties with Russia and broken with the regional ECOWAS bloc, joining Mali and Burkina Faso to form the breakaway AES bloc.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
  • My 50s has just continued to be about trying to figure out my place in the world and deepening my friendships with my friends, my family.
    — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of deepen
Verb
  • Say what’s bothering you before resentment takes over the conversation.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Rafter, bothered by a right shoulder injury, retires after Cedric Pioline breaks his serve in the opening game of the fifth set.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of bother
Verb
  • And the backwards focus exacerbates the lag in responding to those changes, with potentially serious macroeconomic consequences.
    — George Calhoun, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Extreme heat is set to further exacerbate upward pressure on electricity prices in parts of the US.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of exacerbate
Verb
  • Irwin is uncertain if the second infestation of bed bugs last weekend were ones that weren’t caught the first time, or if a person brought new bed bugs in.
    — Susan Bromley, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Not too much bugs him, but he sometimes is annoyed by his baby sister and doesn’t trust people who put pineapple on their pizza.
    — Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of bug
Verb
  • As the bust continued in Alaska, work on the base accelerated and intensified.
    — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Inflation and tariff pressures have intensified these challenges.
    — Tejal Patel, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of intensify

Browse Nearby Words

aggrandizing
aggravate
aggravated
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Cite this Entry

“Aggravate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravate. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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