Word
aggravate
Phoneticsag·gra·vate, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈæɡɹəˌveɪt/
UK/ˈæɡɹɐvˌeɪt/
Definitions
01to make a situation worse
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to make a bad situation, an injury, or a problem even worse.
v. to increase the severity, intensity, or offensiveness of a negative condition or situation.
“Running on a sore ankle will only aggravate the injury.”
“The lack of clear communication between the two departments only served to aggravate the existing tensions regarding the budget cuts.”
Synonyms
02to annoy someone
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
v. to make someone feel annoyed or impatient.
v. to exasperate or provoke a person to the point of irritation.
“It really aggravates me when people talk loudly during a movie.”
“The constant delays and lack of updates from the airline began to seriously aggravate the stranded passengers.”
Real-World Examples
“Experts warn that the earthquake may aggravate the deep-rooted problems Buenaventura has struggled with for years.” “They also experience constipation and likely also have increased protein fermentation that may aggravate health conditions," concludes Dragsted, senior author of the paper.” Etymology
The adjective is first attested in 1471 in Middle English, the verb in 1530; from Latin aggravātus, perfect passive participle of aggravō (“to add to the weight of, make worse, oppress, annoy”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from ad- (“to”) + gravō (“to make heavy”), from gravis (“heavy”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). See grave and compare aggrieve and aggrege. Participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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