Meaning & use

aggravation

noun·Academic

Irritation or annoyance caused by something troublesome or repeated.

See it in a sentence

The constant construction noise outside was a real aggravation for the tenants.

He couldn't hide his aggravation when the meeting ran an hour over schedule.

A note on using this word

Aggravation can also mean making an existing problem worse, alongside its more common sense of annoyance.

Words with a similar meaning

annoyanceirritationexasperation

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

The act of making a problem, injury, or situation more serious.

Running on the sprain risked further aggravation of the injury.

Make it your own

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