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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of aggravate
Taurasi, who came from California to Connecticut, said the colder climate and stress aggravated her eczema, which appeared on her arms, her back and the back of her knees.
—
Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2025
His taunts have been aggravated by hefty tariffs leveled by Washington on Canada over uneven trade deals and a failure to stop drug and migrant trafficking across the U.S.’s northern border.
—Callie Patteson, The Washington Examiner, 26 May 2025
Both leads are superb, equally aggravated and aggravating, brittle with neuroses that occasionally relax and part to reveal gentle need.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 May 2025
Boyd was originally jailed for second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, aggravated battery and threatening a public official.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2025
His taunts have been aggravated by hefty tariffs leveled by Washington on Canada over uneven trade deals and a failure to stop drug and migrant trafficking across the U.S.’s northern border.
—Callie Patteson, The Washington Examiner, 26 May 2025
Both leads are superb, equally aggravated and aggravating, brittle with neuroses that occasionally relax and part to reveal gentle need.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 May 2025
Boyd was originally jailed for second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, aggravated battery and threatening a public official.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravate
Verb
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The comedy as a second-class sibling to the drama is a notion that has annoyed the people who make television comedies for years.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
7 June 2025
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In some cases, that will be obvious: You’ll get annoyed by weird or loud noises and odors, notice your energy bill has skyrocketed, or spot signs of a leak.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
3 June 2025
Verb
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As the disease worsens, these sores often develop umbilication, a small dent in the skin that resembles a belly button.—
Francisco J. Rivera Rosario,
Health,
7 June 2025
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Empty office spaces, slumping rents, sky-high office vacancies, and a meltdown in real estate values have coalesced into a worsening commercial property market in the Bay Area.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who Trump initially tapped to co-lead DOGE, pushed for an expansion of the program as way to attract global talent, irritating immigration hawks in the conservative movement.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
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Plus, it’s made without parabens, phthalates, and sulfates, which may irritate some skin types.—
Jenny Berg,
Allure,
3 June 2025
Verb
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As Meech and Terry confront new enemies and deal with the consequences of their time in Mexico, the tension between them deepens, testing a bond that once felt unbreakable.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
6 June 2025
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In that film, Cazale is visibly sick, but that only deepens his performance as the sad fool in a macho band of brothers.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Understandably, the online narrative bothered the director as well.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
6 June 2025
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This is an arrangement that bothers Kagi's founder.—
Ryan Whitwam,
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2025
Verb
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But a swelling trail of migrants leaving the United States under President Donald Trump threatens to exacerbate instability at home.—
Whitney Eulich,
Christian Science Monitor,
2 June 2025
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Even in the near term, the intensity of hurricanes and wildfires is exacerbated by climate change.—
Robert O. Keohane,
Foreign Affairs,
2 June 2025
Verb
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Say your mother kept bugging you to change a bad habit.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
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Next season is when all the little things start to bug me.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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This influx of graduates has significantly intensified competition at the entry level, prompting employers to consider factors beyond academic qualifications when making hiring decisions.—
Kara Dennison,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
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In response, Trump authorized thousands of National Guards to the California city, and 700 Marines arrived on Tuesday, intensifying tensions between the federal and state government.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Aggravate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravate. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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