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Synonyms

aggravated

American  
[ag-ruh-vey-tid] / ˈæg rəˌveɪ tɪd /

adjective

  1. annoyed; irritated.

    I get so aggravated when I get this much junk mail.

  2. made worse or more severe; intensified.

    Stress impedes the emptying of the stomach, which can lead to aggravated heartburn.

  3. Law. characterized by some feature defined by law that enhances the crime, as the intention of the criminal or the special vulnerability of the victim.

aggravated British  
/ ˈæɡrəˌveɪtɪd /

adjective

  1. law (of a criminal offence) made more serious by its circumstances

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unaggravated adjective

Etymology

Origin of aggravated

First recorded in 1540–50; aggravate + -ed 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The deployment of hundreds of thousands of young men to the battlefield in Ukraine over the last four years has only aggravated the problem.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

The charges are dereliction of duty and aggravated negligent destruction.

From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026

Smith-Griffin pleaded not guilty to charges of securities fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026

When he and his family moved to a quiet Brooklyn street, instead of basking in relief he quickly found himself aggravated by barking dogs and other fresh triggers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Chubs unbuckled his seat belt with an aggravated sigh.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.