as in annoying
causing annoyance
there's nothing so aggravating as a blaring car alarm that no one is paying any attention to
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in irritating
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in worsening
to make more severe
overheated rhetoric that only aggravated an already tense situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of aggravating
Nate Atkins,
New York Times,
15 June 2026
Of course, the effectiveness of lavender in protecting an area from aggravating pests—like mosquitoes, fleas, and flies—depends on the number of plants.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
14 June 2026
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 June 2026
Koeninger, a Tennessee signee, was noticeably missing from the batting order after aggravating a left-hand injury last week.
—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for aggravating
Adjective
The personal-conduct policy also cites violence against a pregnant woman as an aggravating factor when considering the severity of punishment.
—
Nate Atkins,
New York Times,
15 June 2026
Of course, the effectiveness of lavender in protecting an area from aggravating pests—like mosquitoes, fleas, and flies—depends on the number of plants.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
14 June 2026
Verb
He was removed from last Sunday’s game against the Mets after aggravating his hamstring running out a single.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 June 2026
Koeninger, a Tennessee signee, was noticeably missing from the batting order after aggravating a left-hand injury last week.
—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for aggravating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravating
Adjective
-
This is a realm of exposition-heavy opening credits, relentlessly earwormy theme tunes, and heroes who, for no obvious reason, choose to hang out with cute/annoying [delete as appropriate] comedy sidekicks like Orko and Snarf.
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This would have evoked annoying memories of the 0-0 draw against Morocco in 2022 and 1-1 draw with Russia in 2018 for Spain.
Verb
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Unanswered workplace messages are a common, irritating phenomenon, often perceived as deliberate avoidance despite recipients being active elsewhere.
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Morales turns another character who can be irritating into one whose lot, and whose needs, demands attention.
Verb
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Accelerating these efforts is crucial to protect children from worsening climate impacts.
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Over several days, the boy was taken to clinics and emergency rooms as doctors searched for the cause of his worsening symptoms, the report said.
Adjective
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Two months after another frustrating playoff finish, the 76ers now look ahead with a reasonable expectation to be among the conference favorites next season.
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Residents said the latest delay is especially frustrating because the pool also remained closed for much of last summer after a water line ruptured while it was being filled.
Verb
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Travis was snapped having a blast bothering Jason as the duo attended a match between Jupiter Links GC and The Bay Golf Club at SoFi Center on March 3.
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For now, the Royals hope to figure out exactly what’s bothering him.
Verb
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Without a unified, clean, and accessible data structure, AI outputs quickly become ambiguous, hallucinated, and diluted, deepening the clarity crisis rather than resolving it.
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State Street granted Saudi fund administration license State Street has secured a fund administration license in Saudi Arabia, thereby deepening the presence of one of the world’s biggest custodian banks in the kingdom.
Adjective
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There were many disturbing parts of Kerstin’s story left unpursued.
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The film is a modern take on the creature horror film told from the perspective of a young boy who slowly begins to discover that his beloved parents are hiding a disturbing secret about his mother’s true nature.
Verb
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The necessity of the trip at all is what's been bugging me.
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His doctor had been bugging him for years to get a colonoscopy because of his age, but Driggers declined.
Cite this Entry
“Aggravating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravating. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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