AGGRAVATION Synonyms: 97 Similar and Opposite Words

aggravation

noun

ˌa-grə-ˈvā-shən

Definition of aggravation

as in headache

something that is a source of irritation a reminder designed to prevent the aggravation of phones ringing during movies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in harassment

the act of making unwelcome intrusions upon another the neighbors' constant aggravations prompted us to move out of town

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in frustration

the feeling of impatience or anger caused by another's repeated disagreeable acts informed her children that she didn't need the extra aggravation of hearing them fight in the back seat while they were stuck in traffic

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 aggravation Salvador Perez drove in an early run before leaving in the sixth with right elbow aggravation for the Royals, who have lost four straight and 10 of 13. — CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 However, Perez was removed from the game in the sixth due to right elbow aggravation. — Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026 Surprisingly, the aggravation that the Spider-Man team endured five years ago hasn’t stopped them from applying a similar playbook to Sadie Sink’s top-secret role in Brand New Day. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026 So much talk about his ankle this offseason, but an aggravation there obviously isn’t the only issue that could cost him time over a long season. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for aggravation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravation

Noun

The biggest headache for Thune was the Save America Act, a voter ID bill that lacked a strategy to become law in the Senate.

— semafor.com, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
In Meta’s case, creepy video-recording incidents and privacy-light tampering have caused severe headaches for the company.

— Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of headache

Noun

Six Lincoln-Way students accused of racial harassment were ultimately allowed to withdraw from the school game incident, instead of being expelled.

— CBS News, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
The Board of Regents will vote Thursday on changes to the Title IX policy, which governs harassment and discrimination.

— Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of harassment

Noun

Demonstrators expressed widespread frustration and anger at the government as gasoline, energy and food prices have spiked in recent months.

— SYLVIE CORBET, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
That's despite voter frustration over high prices and the Iran war, and his own challenge of leading one of narrowest House majorities in modern times.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of frustration

Noun

In August, the health board designated a $250,000 fund for rat abatement — so far the only public money in Idaho specifically earmarked to combat the nuisance.

— Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 16 Oct. 2026
The tablet takes a good 20 to 30 seconds to boot up from that state, which is a nuisance compared with the instant wake-up from sleep mode.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of nuisance

Noun

And in an unrelated incident on the morning of June 9, 2026, Jackson was arrested after Los Angeles police responded to a domestic disturbance call at his West Hills home late the previous night.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Jacobs was arrested May 26, three days after police officers came to his Wisconsin home to investigate a disturbance.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of disturbance

Noun

The cream caused minimal skin irritation, and the drug was detected in the blood of very few participants, according to the company.

— Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
My irritation was not with the charge itself but with how some of the commentaries about it invoked as evidence Vance’s wish to be buried in the country graveyard where generations of his ancestors already rest.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of irritation

Noun

The tweet ended with an emoji of a man facepalming, conveying Johnson’s exasperation over the last play of Washington’s 27-27 tie with the New York Giants.

— Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
But through a bit of TV fame, and Ramsay’s signature yelling, ranting, exasperation and, in the end, brotherly wisdom, perhaps its restaurant dreams can come true.

— Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of exasperation

Browse Nearby Words

aggravating

aggravation

aggravations

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Style

“Aggravation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravation. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of aggravation

noun

Example Sentences

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