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
Relevance
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
Kings forward Trey Lyles is questionable due to lower back soreness, but All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis is not on the injury report after aggravating a hamstring injury in Friday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns.
—
Sacramento Bee, 17 Mar. 2025
Witt is charged with second-degree murder, aggravated robbery and three counts of menacing, all felonies, in the Feb. 11 shooting at the station near Interstate 225 and South Dallas Street.
—Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2025
According to Yau, those with acne-prone skin should reach for a stainless steel gua sha—unlike natural stone, stainless steel is non-porous and anti-bacterial, preventing unwanted breakouts and aggravating easily congested skin.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2025
That followed a report Wednesday indicating that the consumer price rate had nudged lower as well, providing some welcome news amid concerns that the Trump tariffs would aggravate inflation.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Sacramento Bee, 17 Mar. 2025
Witt is charged with second-degree murder, aggravated robbery and three counts of menacing, all felonies, in the Feb. 11 shooting at the station near Interstate 225 and South Dallas Street.
—Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2025
According to Yau, those with acne-prone skin should reach for a stainless steel gua sha—unlike natural stone, stainless steel is non-porous and anti-bacterial, preventing unwanted breakouts and aggravating easily congested skin.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2025
That followed a report Wednesday indicating that the consumer price rate had nudged lower as well, providing some welcome news amid concerns that the Trump tariffs would aggravate inflation.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravate
Verb
-
Waltz now has a bunch of top officials, and their teams, who are annoyed at him for drawing bad publicity.—
Marc Caputo,
Axios,
25 Mar. 2025
-
However, standing in the middle of a road to capture the Eiffel Tower in the background is not only unsafe but can also annoy locals.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Stress can worsen blood sugar levels and cause potential other complications.—
Alysse Dalessandro,
Health,
29 Mar. 2025
-
However, de-dollarization — effectively a decline in demand from foreign parties for dollar holdings — would mean that the U.S. government would have to offer higher interest rates on its debt, worsening the deficit.—
Hakyung Kim,
CNBC,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
First, coffee is significantly more acidic than matcha, which can irritate some people's stomachs or cause heartburn.—
Sohaib Imtiaz,
Verywell Health,
26 Mar. 2025
-
She’s disillusioned with her boyfriend and irritated by her mother.—
Manuel Betancourt,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
This gentrification could deepen existing economic divides, fueling new social tensions regarding immigration.—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
-
This government is deepening the hell that both peoples in this region are living in.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Because Congress never bothered to write a law to establish it.—
Jay Cost,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Chicago Bears - Will Campbell, OL, LSU Will Campbell has fallen a bit due to his shorter arm length, but that likely won't bother Ben Johnson.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
This reduction in assistance could exacerbate food insecurity and negatively affect retailers that serve low-income communities.—
Solange Charas,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
-
Nevertheless, when synthetic braids are dipped in boiling water to seal the ends, the VOCs emitted can exacerbate respiratory issues.—
India Espy-Jones,
Essence,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Ferrell bugs his eyes out and sighs a series of increasingly desperate spit-takes, but this project was probably doomed from the get-go.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2025
-
The movie's famous final scene sees Hackman's character playing the saxophone after his paranoia has led him to destroy his entire apartment to see if it was bugged.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA TODAY,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Trump’s hardline approach to deporting immigrants has intensified America’s already-stark partisan divide.—
Brad Heath, Joshua Schneyer, Marisa Taylor, Sarah N. Lynch, Mike Spector,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
-
As climate goals become more urgent and regulatory pressures intensify, retailers are at a pivotal moment in their sustainability journeys.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
WWD,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aggravate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravate. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share