aggravating
adjective
Common Uses of Aggravate, Aggravation, and Aggravating: Usage Guide
Although aggravate has been used to refer to rousing someone to anger since the 17th century, it has been the object of disapproval only since about 1870. It is used in expository prose
William Styron
but seems to be more common in speech and casual writing.
Jackie Gleason, interview, 1986
Mark Twain, letter, 1864
The "make worse" meaning is far more common in published prose than the "rouse to anger" meaning. Such is not the case, however, with aggravation and aggravating. Aggravation is used in the "irritation, provocation" sense somewhat more than in its earlier senses; aggravating has practically no use other than to express annoyance.
Examples of aggravating in a Sentence
Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
June 26: Prosecutors announced their intent to seek the death penalty, citing aggravating factors.
—Hannah Parry
jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
Both leads are superb, equally aggravated and aggravating, brittle with neuroses that occasionally relax and part to reveal gentle need.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 May 2025
Sky-high property taxes already are one of the most aggravating aspects of living in Cook County, which anyone currently holding office well knows.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for aggravating
Cite this Entry
“Aggravating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aggravating. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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