aggravates

verb

present tense third-person singular of aggravate
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

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2
as in deepens
to make more severe overheated rhetoric that only aggravated an already tense situation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of aggravates But when Dusty takes a tumble and aggravates his old wrist injury, that puts him out of the running. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026 The minuscule particles can lead to breathing problems like bronchitis and cause inflammation that aggravates diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions. — Dakota Smith, CNN Money, 14 July 2026 The light that aggravates her pigmentation isn't only coming from the sky. — Angela Haupt, Time, 7 July 2026 What’s clear is that obesity aggravates matters. — Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 26 June 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravates
  1. annoys
  2. deepens
  3. bothers
  4. complicates
  5. irritates
  6. exacerbates
  7. persecutes
  8. worsens
Verb
  • Hotel-booking platform HotelTonight surveyed 447 of its American adult users in June about what annoys them the most during travel.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 21 July 2026
  • But Turner is a symbol for everything that annoys people about the Phillies.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Definition of annoys
Verb
  • World oil demand is set to fall further than previously expected this year, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday, as the impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz deepens.
    — Sean Conlon,Hugh Leask,Lee Ying Shan,Sarah Min, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
  • February 19 – March 20 Trust deepens when care comes with clear terms.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of deepens
Verb
  • My concern is what happens when the signal becomes so established that nobody bothers separating it from the qualities it was supposed to represent.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The result is a bunch of people losing their jobs, which really bothers me.
    — Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of bothers
Verb
  • Gere acknowledged that his family name inevitably complicates perceptions of his success.
    — Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • This unfortunate incident significantly complicates FC Barcelona's squad planning.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of complicates
Verb
  • The capsaicin in hot peppers irritates pests and deters them from feeding on plants.
    — Farima Ferguson, The Spruce, 15 July 2026
  • Anyone who has sat through a mandatory team-building exercise knows the difference between a ritual that binds and a program that irritates.
    — Julia Dhar, Time, 11 July 2026
Definition of irritates
Verb
  • Unfortunately, there is no shortage of wildfires to keep an eye on across the world as climate change exacerbates traditional wildfire seasons.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The moon and Mars’ clash exacerbates irritation this morning.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of exacerbates
Verb
  • 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.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
  • In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.
    — Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Definition of persecutes
Verb
  • Those with lupus need to avoid the sun, while some with psoriasis get relief from it; storms can trigger migraines and joint pain; hot weather worsens postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
    — Lorraine Boissoneault, STAT, 12 Aug. 2026
  • When the outlook for a company’s fundamentals worsens, investors often respond by trading the stock down.
    — Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of worsens

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Cite this Entry

“Aggravates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravates. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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