# aggravate

/ˈæɡɹəˌveɪt/ (US) · /ˈæɡɹɐvˌeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/aggravate
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to make a situation worse

verb · CEFR B2

to make a bad situation, an injury, or a problem even worse.

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Often used with physical ailments or social problems as the object.

### 2. to annoy someone

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to make someone feel annoyed or impatient.

For teachers: 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.

Teaching tip: While common in speech, some traditionalists prefer 'irritate' for people and reserve 'aggravate' for situations.

## Examples

- The cold weather aggravates my back pain.
- The loud construction noise outside the office aggravates the staff, making it difficult to concentrate on their work.
- While the initial injury was minor, the repetitive strain of the job eventually aggravates the condition, leading to a more significant and costly recovery period.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.