ENGLISH
REFERENCE

aggravated

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈæɡɹəˌveɪtɪd// UK //ˈæɡɹɐvˌeɪtɪd// ag·gra·vat·ed

adj. feeling very annoyed or frustrated, especially by something that keeps happening. It can also describe a problem or injury that has become worse.

adj. feeling resentment or exasperation; also used to describe a physical condition or situation that has been made more severe or intense. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'feel' or 'become'.


SIMPLE

He felt aggravated by the constant interruptions.

CONTEXTUAL

The athlete's knee injury became aggravated after he tried to return to training too early.

COMPLEX

The legal team argued that the defendant's actions were aggravated by a complete lack of remorse, leading the judge to consider a more severe sentence than usual.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Often follows linking verbs such as 'feel', 'become', or 'seem'.

Pitfall

The noise aggravated himThe noise made him feel aggravatedWhile 'aggravate' is a verb, learners often use the participial adjective 'aggravated' when they should use the active verb form to describe the cause of the annoyance.

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