Meaning & use
aggravating factor
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Meanings
nouncountablelegalformal
A fact or circumstance that makes an offense, a wrong, or a problem more serious and deserving of stronger blame or punishment.
Grammar: Countable: one aggravating factor, several aggravating factors; often used in the plural in legal writing.
Patterns
- an aggravating factor in something
- consider something an aggravating factor
- a further aggravating factor
The judge said the use of a weapon was an aggravating factor in the robbery.
Poor working conditions were an aggravating factor in the accident.
Prosecutors listed three aggravating factors before sentencing.
nouncountable
Something that makes a difficult situation worse rather than better.
Grammar: Also countable in general use; the opposite is 'mitigating factor'.
Patterns
- an aggravating factor for someone
- be seen as an aggravating factor
The long delay was an aggravating factor for everyone waiting for a decision.
For small businesses, high energy costs are a major aggravating factor.
Word forms
| plural | aggravating factors |
|---|
Common combinations
- an aggravating factor in
- The court treated his role as an aggravating factor in the fraud.
- a significant aggravating factor
- Lack of remorse was a significant aggravating factor.
- mitigating and aggravating factors
- The report weighed mitigating and aggravating factors together.
- treat something as an aggravating factor
- Judges may treat cruelty as an aggravating factor.
Synonyms and how they differ
- aggravation
- Names the act of making something worse, not the specific fact that does so.
- seriousness
- Refers to how grave something is in general, while an aggravating factor is one concrete thing that increases that gravity.
Opposites
Word family
- aggravate verb
- to make a problem or offense worse
- aggravating adjective
- making something worse or more annoying
- aggravation noun
- the act of making something worse, or annoyance
Commonly confused: aggravating factor or mitigating factor?
aggravating factor vs mitigating factor
A mitigating factor makes an offense seem less serious; an aggravating factor makes it seem more serious.
Practice
In sentencing, which phrase means a fact that makes the crime seem more serious?
Choose one answer.
'Aggravating factor' makes the offense worse and supports a heavier sentence, while 'mitigating factor' works the other way; 'aggregate factor' is not a standard legal term.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “aggravating factor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.