aggravating
adjective
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
William Styron
but seems to be more common in speech and casual writing.
Jackie Gleason, interview, 1986
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.
Examples of aggravating in a Sentence
Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Concerns ranged from retrograde menstruation in microgravity causing or aggravating endometriosis, the potential for menstrual products to clog toilet filters, and the inappropriateness of space equipment designed exclusively for men.
—Lisa Falco, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2025
Maher said a person’s legal status has never been used as an aggravating factor in death penalty cases.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2025
This allows the skin to adapt without the aggravating impact of the sun.
—Felicity Carter, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravating
Cite this Entry
“Aggravating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aggravating. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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