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aggravating

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈæɡɹəˌveɪtɪŋ// UK //ˈæɡɹɐvˌeɪtɪŋ// ag·gra·vat·ing Informal

adj. making you feel annoyed or frustrated. You use this when a situation or a person's behavior is very bothersome.

adj. causing annoyance or exasperation; making a problem or situation worse. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be' or 'seem'.


SIMPLE

The constant noise from the street is very aggravating.

CONTEXTUAL

It is aggravating to wait for a bus that is already twenty minutes late during a rainstorm.

COMPLEX

While the technical glitches were minor, the aggravating lack of communication from the support team turned a simple fix into a week-long ordeal.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Often functions as a participial adjective; can be modified by degree adverbs like 'extremely' or 'rather'.

Pitfall

I am very aggravating with himI am very aggravated with himLearners confuse the -ing form (the cause of the feeling) with the -ed form (the person experiencing the feeling).

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