Aggravate

Pronunciation: /ˈæɡrəˌveɪt/

Definitions of aggravate

verb to make a problem or situation worse, especially by making someone feel angry or annoyed

Example Sentences

A1 Loud noises aggravate my headache.

A2 Her constant complaining aggravates me.

B1 The lack of communication in the team aggravated the situation.

B2 The ongoing construction work aggravated the residents in the neighborhood.

C1 The political unrest in the country has aggravated the economic crisis.

C2 The persistent rumors aggravated the already tense atmosphere in the office.

Examples of aggravate in a Sentence

formal The constant noise from the construction site is starting to aggravate the residents in the neighborhood.

informal Stop poking fun at him, you're only going to aggravate him further.

slang Don't be a jerk, you're just going to aggravate the situation.

figurative Adding fuel to the fire will only aggravate the tensions between the two groups.

Grammatical Forms of aggravate

• past tense: aggravated
• plural: aggravates
• comparative: more aggravating
• superlative: most aggravating
• present tense: aggravates
• future tense: will aggravate
• perfect tense: has aggravated
• continuous tense: is aggravating
• singular: aggravate
• positive degree: aggravating
• infinitive: to aggravate
• gerund: aggravating
• participle: aggravating

Origin and Evolution of aggravate

First Known Use: 1530 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'aggravate' originated from the Latin word 'aggravatus', which means 'made heavier'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to mean 'make heavy or burdensome', the word 'aggravate' evolved over time to also mean 'to make a situation worse or more serious'.