aggravate

[ ag-ruh-veyt ]

verb (used with object)

, ag·gra·vat·ed, ag·gra·vat·ing.

1. to make worse or more severe; intensify, as anything evil, disorderly, or troublesome:

   to aggravate a grievance; to aggravate an illness.

   Synonyms: increase, heighten

   Antonyms: alleviate

2. to annoy; irritate; exasperate:

   His questions aggravate her.

   Synonyms: rile, vex, anger

3. to cause to become irritated or inflamed:

   The child's constant scratching aggravated the rash.

aggravate

/ ˈæɡrəˌveɪt /

verb

1. to make (a disease, situation, problem, etc) worse or more severe
2. informal.
   to annoy; exasperate, esp by deliberate and persistent goading

Usage Note

The two most common senses of aggravate are “to make worse” and “to annoy or exasperate.” Both senses first appeared in the early 17th century at almost the same time; the corresponding two senses of the noun aggravation also appeared then. Both senses of aggravate and aggravation have been standard since then. The use of aggravate to mean “annoy” is sometimes objected to because it departs from the etymological meaning “to make heavier,” and in formal speech and writing the sense “annoy” is somewhat less frequent than “to make worse.” The noun aggravation meaning “annoyance” occurs in all types of speech and writing.

Derived Forms

• ˌaggraˈvation, noun
• ˈaggraˌvating, adjective

Other Words From

• aggra·vative adjective
• aggra·vator noun
• over·aggra·vate verb (used with object) overaggravated overaggravating
• pre·aggra·vate verb (used with object) preaggravated preaggravating
• re·aggra·vate verb (used with object) reaggravated reaggravating

Word History and Origins

Origin of aggravate¹

1425–75; late Middle English < Latin aggravātus (past participle of aggravāre ), equivalent to ag- ag- + grav- ( grave ² ) + -ātus -ate ¹; aggrieve

Word History and Origins

Origin of aggravate¹

C16: from Latin aggravāre to make heavier, from gravis heavy

Synonym Study

Aggravate, intensify both mean to increase in degree. To aggravate is to make more serious or more grave: to aggravate a danger, an offense, a wound. To intensify is perceptibly to increase intensity, force, energy, vividness, etc.: to intensify heat, color, rage.

Example Sentences

Federal prosecutors, in an indictment unsealed Tuesday, accused Joanna Smith-Griffin of defrauding investors and charged her with securities fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

From Los Angeles Times

Majors was acquitted of a different assault charge and a charge of aggravated harassment.

From Los Angeles Times

In March Kerr pleaded not guilty after being charged with racially aggravated harassment of a police officer in London.

From BBC

The FA said this constituted an "aggravated breach... as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin".

From BBC

Brahim Chnina's daughter has already been convicted of making false and slanderous accusations, while five other teenagers have been found guilty of taking part in a group preparing aggravated violence.

From BBC

Related Words

• complicate
• deepen
• exacerbate
• exaggerate
• heighten
• inflame
• intensify
• magnify
• worsen