aggravate
Use Aggravate in a sentence
rəˌveɪt 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.
2.
to annoy; irritate; exasperate: His questions aggravate her.
3.
to cause to become irritated or inflamed: The child's constant scratching aggravated the rash.
Origin:
1425–75; late Middle English < Latin aggravātus (past participle of aggravāre), equivalent to ag- ag- + grav- (see grave2) + -ātus -ate1; cf. aggrieve
1425–75; late Middle English < Latin aggravātus (past participle of aggravāre), equivalent to ag- ag- + grav- (see grave2) + -ātus -ate1; cf. aggrieve
Related forms
ag·gra·va·tive, adjective
ag·gra·va·tor, noun
o·ver·ag·gra·vate, verb (used with object), o·ver·ag·gra·vat·ed, o·ver·ag·gra·vat·ing.
pre·ag·gra·vate, verb (used with object), pre·ag·gra·vat·ed, pre·ag·gra·vat·ing.
re·ag·gra·vate, verb (used with object), re·ag·gra·vat·ed, re·ag·gra·vat·ing.
Can be confused: aggravate, annoy, intensify, irritate, worsen (see synonym study at the current entry).
Synonyms
1. heighten, increase. 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. 2. anger, vex, rile.
1. heighten, increase. 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. 2. anger, vex, rile.
Antonyms
1. alleviate.
1. alleviate.
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.
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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To aggravate
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Aggravate
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Collins
World English Dictionary
aggravate (ˈæɡrəˌveɪt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to make (a disease, situation, problem, etc) worse or more severe |
| 2. | informal to annoy; exasperate, esp by deliberate and persistent goading |
| [C16: from Latin aggravāre to make heavier, from gravis heavy] | |
| 'aggravating | |
| —adj | |
| aggra'vation | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
aggravate
1520s, from pp. adj. aggravate (late 15c.), from L. aggravatus, pp. of aggravare "to render troublesome, to make heavy" (see aggravation). Earlier in this sense was aggrave.
"To aggravate has properly only one meaning -- to make (an evil) worse or more serious." [Fowler]Phrase aggravating circumstances is recorded from 1790.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
The new health-care law does not aggravate the deficit, but nor does it do much to reduce it.
The cause of such ulcers is unknown, and although stress can aggravate them, most doctors do not believe stress causes ulcers.
Higher sea levels would aggravate storm surges or the impact of tsunamis.
High-heeled shoes concentrate pressure on the toes and can aggravate, if not cause, problems with the toes.
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