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
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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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of aggravating
David Noriega, NBC News, 17 Dec. 2024
One aggravating aspect was how Nagy used his timeouts in the second half.
—Adam Jahns, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker’s office filed a notice with the court saying the state will prove there are aggravating circumstances sufficient to warrant the death penalty.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for aggravating 
Adjective
Mandatory minimum sentences for migrant smuggling as a stand-alone offense are relatively low compared to similar offenses like drug smuggling, but these aggravating factors allow prosecutors to seek harsher punishments.
—David Noriega, NBC News, 17 Dec. 2024
One aggravating aspect was how Nagy used his timeouts in the second half.
—Adam Jahns, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
But one of the main drivers of lung-aggravating smog may be right underneath our feet, according to new research.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker’s office filed a notice with the court saying the state will prove there are aggravating circumstances sufficient to warrant the death penalty.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for aggravating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggravating
Adjective
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But for Netflix’s biggest series, as annoying as this is, there are not exactly mountains of evidence that this matters for its biggest series.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
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By Marci Robin December 19, 2024 Normally, know-it-alls are kind of annoying.Marci Robin, Allure, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This waterproof version of the brand's best-selling, clump-free formula can withstand heat, humidity, and any other moisture that may come your way without irritating sensitive eyes.Sarah Han, Allure, 24 Dec. 2024
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A lot of anti-aging skincare contains ingredients like retinol that can be drying and irritating, but Cetaphil has a possible solution.Lauren Taylor, Southern Living, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Federal and state officials said the new operating rules for the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project that were developed over the last three years will bring greater stability to the state’s supplies in the face of worsening droughts intensified by climate change.Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
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These conditions may have more severe symptoms that are worsening your PMS.Wendy Wisner, Health, 22 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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However, the past two seasons have been frustrating for Alexander, as injuries have plagued him since his career year in 2022.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
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The near silence from our own government over the past 12 days has been frustrating.Tony Hunter, Hartford Courant, 22 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Somehow, that doesn’t cure Guillermo’s melancholy, and the other vamps theorize about why this is bothering Guillermo so much.Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 16 Dec. 2024
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Instead, focus on things like what's been bothering you in the past week, stress about an upcoming event, or a work incident that rubbed you the wrong way.Perri Ormont Blumberg, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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On Monday, Honda and Nissan signed a memorandum of understanding to formally begin talks aimed at deepening a partnership that began this year.River Akira Davis, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2024
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The seven-time All-Star will slot into the middle of the Yankees lineup, deepening an already strong Yankees lineup despite losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets.Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 21 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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One of the more disturbing results was from the dinner party at the Brooklyn apartment of my ProPublica colleague.Topher Sanders, ProPublica, 9 Dec. 2024
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Duchamp spent the last twenty years of his life working in secret on a three-dimensional tableau vivant of a naked, headless female body in a realistic landscape, a strangely disturbing image that is both a summary of his meta-retinal art and a total departure from it.Calvin Tomkins, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near aggravating
Cite this Entry
“Aggravating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggravating. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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