Meaning & use
aggravating factors
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“aggravating factors” is a form of “aggravating factor”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplurallegal
Circumstances in a crime or case that make it more serious and so can lead to a harsher punishment.
Grammar: Usually plural: the aggravating factors were clear; the singular is an aggravating factor.
Patterns
- aggravating factors in something
The judge listed several aggravating factors before passing sentence.
Use of a weapon is one of the aggravating factors in the offense.
The prosecutor stressed the aggravating factors in his closing speech.
nounplural
Conditions that make a problem, illness or situation worse than it would otherwise be.
Grammar: Often followed by for: aggravating factors for asthma.
Patterns
- aggravating factors for something
Cold air and smoke are aggravating factors for people with asthma.
Stress can be one of the aggravating factors in skin conditions.
Poor planning and bad weather were aggravating factors in the delay.
Common combinations
- consider aggravating factors
- The court must consider aggravating factors before deciding the sentence.
- mitigating and aggravating factors
- The report weighed mitigating and aggravating factors equally.
- identify aggravating factors
- Doctors try to identify aggravating factors that trigger the symptoms.
- several aggravating factors
- There were several aggravating factors in the case.
- legal aggravating factors
- Racial hostility is treated as one of the legal aggravating factors.
Synonyms and how they differ
- complicating factors
- Complicating factors make something harder to deal with, but they do not necessarily raise a penalty.
- worsening circumstances
- Worsening circumstances is a general phrase, while aggravating factors is the formal legal term.
- triggers
- Triggers start a problem such as an illness, whereas aggravating factors make an existing problem worse.
Opposites
Word family
- aggravate verb
- to make worse
- aggravation noun
- the act of making worse, or annoyance
- aggravated adjective
- made more serious, as in aggravated assault
- factor noun
- something that influences a result
Commonly confused: aggravating factors or mitigating factors?
aggravating factors vs mitigating factors
Mitigating factors reduce blame or punishment, while aggravating factors increase it.
Practice
Which of these would a judge treat as an aggravating factor in sentencing?
Choose one answer.
Planning a crime makes it more serious. The other options are mitigating factors, which can lower a sentence.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “aggravating factors”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.