Showing results for aggravates.

aggravates

VERB

annoy

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bother irritate provoke

STRONG

bug bum dog exasperate gall get grate hack irk nag needle nettle peeve pester pique tease vex

WEAK

be at be on the back of drive up the wall get on one's nerves get to give a hard time pick on wig

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid delight help please

STRONG

calm make happy soothe

WEAK

alleviate appease gladden improve mollify relieve soften

VERB

cause to become worse

Synonyms

STRONGEST

complicate deepen enhance exacerbate exaggerate heighten inflame intensify magnify worsen

STRONG

increase mount rise rouse

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm decrease lower minimize play down reduce soothe weaken

STRONG

decline drop fall slump

WEAK

alleviate appease gladden help improve make happy mollify relieve soften

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Padgett prays daily to help him manage the pain of his third bout of cancer and the multiple herniated disks that sleeping on the ground aggravates.

From Slate • Oct. 8, 2025

Not only is he receiving extra treatment, but he also has been able to avoid any running, something that aggravates his injury most.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2024

“The lack of qualified personnel aggravates this challenge, since the task now is not only to operate the equipment, but also to develop our own technologies.”

From Seattle Times • May 6, 2024

Or, if not that, he aggravates an existing tendency to rebrand the furthering of stereotypes and dangerous misinformation as “a difference of opinion.”

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2024

This aggravates his father no end, and several other adults have made nasty remarks about it too.

From "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel