aggravate
verb
ag·gra·vate ˈa-grə-ˌvāt 
aggravated; aggravating
transitive verb
1
: to make worse, more serious, or more severe : to intensify unpleasantly
problems have been aggravated by neglect
2
a
: to rouse to displeasure or anger by usually persistent and often petty goading
were aggravated by the noise and traffic
b
: to produce inflammation in
3
obsolete
a
: to make heavy : burden
b
: increase
Synonyms
- annoy
- bother
- bug
- burn (up)
- chafe
- eat
- exasperate
- frost
- gall
- get
- grate
- gripe
- hack (off)
- irk
- irritate
- itch
- nark [British]
- nettle
- peeve
- persecute
- pique
- put out
- rasp
- rile
- ruffle
- spite
- vex
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
She aggravated an old knee injury. They're afraid that we might aggravate an already bad situation. A headache can be aggravated by too much exercise. The symptoms were aggravated by drinking alcohol. All of these delays really aggravate me. Our neighbors were aggravated by all the noise. See More
Recent Examples on the Web This feedback loop most likely will expand the acres burned, aggravate health for millions of people and make the climate change faster than ever. 
Randi Jandt, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2021 The car bombing, unusual for Moscow since the turbulent 1990s, is likely to aggravate tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Vladimir Isachenkov, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2022 The car bombing, unusual for Moscow, is likely to aggravate tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Jim Heintz, ajc, 21 Aug. 2022 The vivid act of violence, unusual for Moscow, is likely to aggravate tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Jim Heintz, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Aug. 2022 The delivery flaws threaten to aggravate tensions between federal health officials and their state counterparts. Apoorva Mandavilli, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Aug. 2022 Rising temperatures elevate ozone levels in the air, which can aggravate asthma symptoms and irritate airways. Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 20 Aug. 2022 The war in Ukraine has complicated the Fed’s ability to achieve a soft landing because wars are often inflationary and the West’s heavy sanctioning of Russia threatens to further aggravate global supply-chain disruptions. Nick Timiraos, WSJ, 25 Apr. 2022 The move is among Putin’s first retaliatory attacks on sanctions, and may aggravate Western leaders even further. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 10 Mar. 2022 See More
Randi Jandt, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2021 The car bombing, unusual for Moscow since the turbulent 1990s, is likely to aggravate tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Vladimir Isachenkov, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2022 The car bombing, unusual for Moscow, is likely to aggravate tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Jim Heintz, ajc, 21 Aug. 2022 The vivid act of violence, unusual for Moscow, is likely to aggravate tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Jim Heintz, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Aug. 2022 The delivery flaws threaten to aggravate tensions between federal health officials and their state counterparts. Apoorva Mandavilli, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Aug. 2022 Rising temperatures elevate ozone levels in the air, which can aggravate asthma symptoms and irritate airways. Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 20 Aug. 2022 The war in Ukraine has complicated the Fed’s ability to achieve a soft landing because wars are often inflationary and the West’s heavy sanctioning of Russia threatens to further aggravate global supply-chain disruptions. Nick Timiraos, WSJ, 25 Apr. 2022 The move is among Putin’s first retaliatory attacks on sanctions, and may aggravate Western leaders even further. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 10 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Latin aggravātus, past participle of aggravāre "to weigh down, burden, oppress, make worse," from ad- ad- + gravāre "to make heavy, weigh down," verbal derivative of gravis "heavy" — more at grieve
First Known Use
1530, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Kids Definition
aggravate
verb
ag·gra·vate ˈa-grə-ˌvāt
aggravated; aggravating
1
: to make worse or more serious
aggravate an injury
Don't aggravate an already bad situation.
2
: to make angry usually by bothering again and again
All of these delays really aggravate me.
Medical Definition
aggravate
transitive verb
ag·gra·vate ˈag-rə-ˌvāt
aggravated; aggravating
1
: to make worse, more serious, or more severe
movement may aggravate the pain
2
: to produce inflammation in : irritate
surgery aggravated the nerve
Legal Definition
aggravate
transitive verb
ag·gra·vate ˈa-grə-ˌvāt
aggravated; aggravating
: to make more serious, more severe, or worse
maliciousness aggravated the offense
aggravating factors
compare mitigate aggravations
noun
1
as in headaches
something that is a source of irritation a reminder designed to prevent the aggravation of phones ringing during movies Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- headaches
- frustrations
- nuisances
- annoyances
- worries
- inconveniences
- irritants
- thorns
- problems
- vexations
- exasperations
- hassles
- discomforts
- peeves
- anxieties
- trials
- irks
- bugbears
- pests
- insults
- troubles
- botherations
- rubs
- menaces
- affronts
- burdens
- curses
- ruffles
- predicaments
- bothers
- hair shirts
- tribulations
- plagues
- aggros
- pinpricks
- upsets
- offences
- offenders
- offenses
- plights
- mischiefs
- afflictions
- sores
- disturbers
- fleabites
- millstones
- albatross
- annoyers
- hang-ups
- pet peeves
- crosses
- harassers
- albatrosses
- pandora's boxes
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- joys
- pleasures
- delights
2
as in harassments
the act of making unwelcome intrusions upon another the neighbors' constant aggravations prompted us to move out of town Synonyms & Similar Words
- harassments
- annoyances
- disturbances
- vexations
- botherations
- bedevilments
- importunities
- persecutions
- tortures
- offences
- torments
- provocations
- molestations
- offenses
- mischiefs
- devilments
- devilries
- aggros
- deviltries
3
as in frustrations
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
- frustrations
- irritations
- exasperations
- displeasures
- griefs
- annoyances
- discomforts
- vexations
- angers
- troubles
- agitations
- indignations
- outrages
- botherations
- distresses
- perturbations
- upsets
- resentments
- disturbances
- pips
- bothers
- irritabilities
- pets
- aggros
- peeves
- ires
- galls
- piques
- danders
- chafes
- umbrages
- dudgeons
- huffs
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- pleasures
- delights