aggravation

noun

ag·​gra·​va·​tion ˌa-grə-ˈvā-shən 

1

: an act or circumstance that intensifies something or makes something worse

His interference was an aggravation of the situation.

2

: the act, action, or result of aggravating something or someone

especially : an increasing in seriousness or severity

aggravation of an injury

3

: irritation, provocation

Her job involves a lot of stress and aggravation.

Common Uses of Aggravate, Aggravation, and Aggravating: Usage Guide

Although aggravate has been used to refer to rousing someone to anger since the 17th century, it has been the object of disapproval only since about 1870. It is used in expository prose

when his silly conceit … about his not-very-good early work has begun to aggravate us

—William Styron

but seems to be more common in speech and casual writing.

a good profession for him, because bus drivers get aggravated

—Jackie Gleason, interview, 1986

& now this letter comes to aggravate me a thousand times worse

—Mark Twain, letter, 1864

The "make worse" meaning is far more common in published prose than the "rouse to anger" meaning. Such is not the case, however, with aggravation and aggravating. Aggravation is used in the "irritation, provocation" sense somewhat more than in its earlier senses; aggravating has practically no use other than to express annoyance.

Synonyms

• aggro [British]
• annoyance
• bother
• botheration
• bugbear
• exasperation
• frustration
• hair shirt
• hassle
• headache
• inconvenience
• irk
• irritant
• nuisance
• peeve
• pest
• rub
• ruffle
• thorn
• trial
• vexation

Examples of aggravation in a Sentence

trying to avoid the aggravation of an existing back problem

I don't need all this aggravation.

This car has caused me nothing but aggravation.

Many talented people now feel that a career in politics isn't worth all the aggravation.

I don't need all these aggravations.

Recent Examples on the Web

To avoid aggravation, Czech recommends taking a minimal approach to physical exfoliation, which can cause micro-tears on the epidermis if you get carried away. —Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 4 Oct. 2024

No doubt other customers just avoid the aggravation of trying to cancel, knowing how difficult the process will be. —Roger Dooley, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024

The games are full of jokes at the player’s expense—traps and dead ends and carefully orchestrated aggravations. —Gabriel Winslow-Yost, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024

The big picture: These loophole gambling joints have long been an aggravation to police and an eyesore to neighbors. —Alexandria Sands, Axios, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin aggravātiōn-, aggravātiō "a weighing down," from Latin aggravāre "to weigh down, aggravate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

First Known Use

1546, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

aggravation

noun

ag·​gra·​va·​tion ˌag-rə-ˈvā-shən 

1

: the act or result of aggravating

2

: something that aggravates