Meaning & use
aggravating
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“aggravating” is a form of “aggravate”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivecomparableinformal
Very annoying and causing a feeling of impatience or irritation.
Grammar: Can come before a noun or after a verb: an aggravating delay; the delay was aggravating.
Patterns
- it is aggravating to do something
- an aggravating habit
It is aggravating to wait an hour for a late bus.
His aggravating habit of interrupting made meetings long.
The aggravating noise from next door kept her awake.
adjectivebefore a nounformal
Making a bad situation, injury or illness worse than it was.
Grammar: Usually before a noun, often factor: aggravating circumstances.
Patterns
- aggravating factor
- aggravating circumstances
The judge noted aggravating factors when setting the sentence.
Cold air is an aggravating factor for her asthma.
Poor drainage was an aggravating circumstance during the floods.
verbtransitive
Present participle of aggravate: making something worse or making someone annoyed.
Grammar: Takes an object: aggravating the injury; aggravating a friend.
Patterns
- aggravating someone
- aggravating something
Scratching the rash is only aggravating it.
He kept aggravating his sister with silly jokes.
The delay is aggravating tensions between the two teams.
Common combinations
- aggravating factor
- Violence was an aggravating factor in the case.
- aggravating circumstances
- The court heard aggravating circumstances.
- deeply aggravating
- The constant delays were deeply aggravating.
- aggravating habit
- Her aggravating habit of humming annoyed everyone.
- aggravating noise
- The aggravating noise of the drill went on all day.
Synonyms and how they differ
- irritating
- Irritating is the safer word for annoying and does not carry the other sense of making something worse.
- annoying
- Annoying is the plain everyday word and is milder than aggravating.
- exasperating
- Exasperating suggests you have almost run out of patience, so it is stronger.
- worsening
- Worsening only means getting worse and has no feeling of irritation.
Opposites
Word family
- aggravate verb
- to make worse or to annoy
- aggravation noun
- annoyance or the making worse of a problem
- aggravated adjective
- made worse, or annoyed
- aggravatingly adverb
- in an annoying way
Commonly confused: aggravating or irritating?
aggravating vs irritating
Irritating means annoying. Aggravating can also mean making a problem worse, which irritating cannot.
Practice
The judge listed several ___ factors, such as the use of a weapon.
Choose one answer.
Aggravating factors are circumstances that make a crime more serious. Aggravated can describe a crime, but 'aggravated factors' is not the usual phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “aggravating”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.