aggravate

transitive-verb
UK: /ˈæɡ.rə.veɪt/
US: /ˈæɡ.rə.veɪt/

  1. To make a bad situation worse.

    1. Don't aggravate the problem by yelling. [ ] [ ]
    2. The symptoms may aggravate if you don't rest properly and drink more water. [ ] [ ]

  2. To annoy or irritate someone.

    1. He likes to aggravate his little sister. [ ] [ ]
    2. It really aggravates me when people talk loudly on their phones in public transport. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

annoy exacerbate inflame irritate worsen
aggravate intransitive-verb

  1. To cause irritation or annoyance.

    1. Loud noises can aggravate my headache. [ ] [ ]
    2. Dust and pollen aggravate my allergies, causing me to sneeze constantly. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "aggravate" in English means: To make a bad situation worse., To annoy or irritate someone..

The phonetic transcription of "aggravate" is /ˈæɡ.rə.veɪt/ in British English and /ˈæɡ.rə.veɪt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "aggravate": annoy, exacerbate, inflame, irritate, worsen.

Example usage of "aggravate": "Don't aggravate the problem by yelling.". More examples on the page.