aggravated
Americanadjective
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I get so aggravated when I get this much junk mail.
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made worse or more severe; intensified.
Stress impedes the emptying of the stomach, which can lead to aggravated heartburn.
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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.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of aggravated
Explanation
When you see the word aggravated in the description of a crime, it's a more serious crime. Aggravated assault is more than a punch in the nose — it’s assault with the intent of causing serious bodily harm. Aggravated is built on the Latin root gravis "heavy," as in gravity, and with the prefix ad-, it means "to make heavy." So robbery is one thing, but aggravated robbery is not only robbing someone, but also causing physical harm, and the punishment would be harsher than for simple robbery. The word is used more casually to mean "angered" — you're likely to be an aggravated customer if you’ve been waiting in line forever and someone cuts in front of you.
Vocabulary lists containing aggravated
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 6
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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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 last time Stewart threw live batting practice, he aggravated the injury by running afterward.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
In this case the delays were aggravated by the case having to be transferred from one jurisdiction to another.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
The aggravated assault statute under which she was charged exempts situations in which displaying a firearm is “reasonably necessary” for self-defense.
From Slate • Jun. 4, 2026
While there were exceptions, such as “a life-threatening physical condition aggravated by, caused by, or arising from a pregnancy,” exactly how and when such an exception would be honored were unclear.
From Salon • May 26, 2026
I believe that it was too strenuous a marathon of long speeches that Mr. Muhammad made at our big rallies which, abruptly, badly aggravated his long-bothersome bronchial asthmatic condition.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
