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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of aggravate
Smith missed last week’s win over NC State and aggravated his calf strain in the first quarter against Boise State.
—
Pete Sampson, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
This past spring, sleep deprivation—partially due to a new baby, partially due to Parker’s manic creative process—aggravated his tinnitus.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
Wasps will become aggravated if their nest is disturbed, so it's not recommended to knock down the nest.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
Simplified Finding skin care that soothes redness, instead of aggravating it, can feel like a hunt.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Pete Sampson, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
This past spring, sleep deprivation—partially due to a new baby, partially due to Parker’s manic creative process—aggravated his tinnitus.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
Wasps will become aggravated if their nest is disturbed, so it's not recommended to knock down the nest.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
Simplified Finding skin care that soothes redness, instead of aggravating it, can feel like a hunt.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravate
Verb
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While Johnson had plenty to be pleased with, he was annoyed by the number of penalties and said the offense has to do a better job of running the football.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
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They’re built not to resist developers but, as their name suggests, they’re intentionally designed, with a degree of malice, to annoy someone specific.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The fouling problem worsens in warm climates, where biological activity peaks year-round.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
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As the lamprey crisis worsened, various chemical companies sent compounds to the lab, which was searching for a panacea.—
Katie Thornton,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The formula was comfortable and didn’t irritate my skin or leave any residue.—
Essence,
Essence,
28 Oct. 2025
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The lord didn’t much care for that, which of course only made Heinzelmann want to irritate him further.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Japan, one of the world’s most homogeneous nations, faces deepening labor shortages as its birth rate plummets and its population ages.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Using fractional diffusion theory, the research deepens understanding of transient charging behaviors in complex materials, which is key to designing high-performance components used for advanced engineering electrochemical systems in general.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Not the kind of thrift store that’s actually thrifty, but the kind of thrift store that doesn’t have any price tags because the people who can afford to shop there don’t need to bother themselves with price tags.—
Lex Goldstein,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
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Being a double Viking with Swedish and Norman blood on each side of my family, the cold never bothered me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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There is growing optimism that the global oil glut—exacerbated by ongoing OPEC production hikes—will peak in the first half of 2026, allowing for the industry to rebound in the back half of next year, CEOs said.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
23 Oct. 2025
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The tumult of the window and the team’s start to the season exacerbated the mood.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
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Chinch bugs overwinter in moist, deep thatch.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Shared resources, intimate interactions, and unspoken bonds intensify.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
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Revelations and reports on both sides of the state line, including an Overland Park real estate deal tied to the Royals, have only intensified speculation about either team’s intentions.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aggravate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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