1
as in annoys
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
2
as in deepens
to make more severe
overheated rhetoric that only aggravated an already tense situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of aggravates
Mercury aggravates Jupiter, intensifying your vulnerability in creative or romantic situations.
—
Usa Today,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Flood conditions in Northern Lower Michigan have become increasingly dire in recent days, as heavy rainfall aggravates the winter snowmelt in the region.
—
Terrance Friday,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Smoke from wildfires penetrates deep into the lungs and aggravates respiratory disease more than any other type of pollution.
—
Becky Upham,
EverydayHealth.com,
4 Mar. 2026
In the extreme off-chance that Darnold doesn’t play or aggravates the injury, the Seahawks would call upon Drew Lock, who has just three regular season passing attempts on the year.
—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Nathan tells him to get in the water in order to fix the hooks and ropes, but Max stands on the Jet Ski instead, which aggravates the bosun.
—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
The minuscule particles can lead to breathing problems like bronchitis and cause inflammation that aggravates diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions.
—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
5 Aug. 2025
Climate change exacerbates chronic and contagious disease, worsens food and water shortages, increases the risk of pandemics, and aggravates mass displacement.
—
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,
Foreign Affairs,
23 Sep. 2019
Usa Today,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Flood conditions in Northern Lower Michigan have become increasingly dire in recent days, as heavy rainfall aggravates the winter snowmelt in the region.
—
Terrance Friday,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Smoke from wildfires penetrates deep into the lungs and aggravates respiratory disease more than any other type of pollution.
—
Becky Upham,
EverydayHealth.com,
4 Mar. 2026
In the extreme off-chance that Darnold doesn’t play or aggravates the injury, the Seahawks would call upon Drew Lock, who has just three regular season passing attempts on the year.
—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Nathan tells him to get in the water in order to fix the hooks and ropes, but Max stands on the Jet Ski instead, which aggravates the bosun.
—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
The minuscule particles can lead to breathing problems like bronchitis and cause inflammation that aggravates diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions.
—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
5 Aug. 2025
Climate change exacerbates chronic and contagious disease, worsens food and water shortages, increases the risk of pandemics, and aggravates mass displacement.
—
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,
Foreign Affairs,
23 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravates
Verb
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What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?
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One of the more common ways bear encounters escalate is when an off-leash dog runs toward a bear, annoys it, and then comes sprinting back to its owner with an angry predator in pursuit.
Verb
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When donors see themselves in the mission rather than just alongside it, retention deepens and giving grows.
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As that infrastructure deepens and the minimum thresholds for private market access remain anchored far above what most EMILLI households can deploy, the gap in available returns between the two tiers is likely to widen further, not narrow.
Verb
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What bothers me is the foot-dragging, the spinning in circles, the slow degradation of these characters into annoying stereotypes.
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What bothers me is the implication of a Labubu National Team full of these things.
Verb
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By utilizing a platform that provides a One Experience for data, networking, and security, IT teams reduce the variability that traditionally complicates Day 0 and Day 2 operations.
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For Tokyo, that complicates the effectiveness of any unilateral intervention.
Verb
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If someone is in your life long enough, they’re bound to do something that irritates you—and you’re bound to do something that irritates them.
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Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing.
Verb
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This catastrophe severely exacerbates Venezuela's existing economic crisis and political turmoil, leaving children facing extreme deprivation, malnutrition, and disease.
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The natural disaster exacerbates the ongoing humanitarian and political crises.
Verb
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China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.
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In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.
Verb
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Once the finish is damaged, stains cling more easily, leading people to scrub even harder, which worsens the problem.
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From Montesquieu’s perspective, polarization worsens this appetite for disregarding constitutional norms.
Cite this Entry
“Aggravates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravates. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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