aggravation

[ag-ruh-vey-shuhn]

noun

1. an increase in intensity, seriousness, or severity; act of making worse.

   an aggravation of pain.

2. the state of being aggravated. aggravated.

3. something that causes an increase in intensity, degree, or severity.

4. annoyance; exasperation.

   Johnny causes me so much aggravation!

5. a source or cause of annoyance or exasperation.

   Johnny's such an aggravation to her!

Usage

See aggravate.

Other Word Forms

• overaggravation noun
• preaggravation noun
• superaggravation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of aggravation¹

1475–85; < Medieval Latin aggravātiōn- (stem of aggravātiō ); aggravate, -ion

Example Sentences

To do that you have to put up with the aggravation, the late-night calls or the dumb questions.

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"Is it worth the aggravation to find yourself a job when there's nothing worth working for?" snarled Liam.

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The charges had been said to have had a connection with serious organised crime, but this aggravation was deleted by prosecutors at the end of the evidence.

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Kathy Cady, who served as his victims’ rights attorney, is now the head of Hochman’s Bureau of Victims’ Services, another point of aggravation for the relatives fighting for the brothers release.

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Despite maintaining no wrongdoing, Ms Bellamy said she offered to take down the recipes from future reprints "to prevent further aggravation", and that this was communicated "swiftly" to Ms Maehashi.

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Related Words

• irritation