- present participle of aggravate.
aggravating
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of aggravating
First recorded in 1630–40; aggravat(e) + -ing 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.
He left the game in the middle of his next at-bat, aggravating the injury on a swing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
Kazakhstan's cloud-seeding trials raised alarm in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan where fears were flagged of "cloud theft" -- alleging that rain clouds could be diverted to Kazakhstan, aggravating its own drought.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
A sanction above the new standard minimum 10-match suspension may be imposed by a regulatory commission if there are "significant" aggravating factors.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
The Fifa disciplinary committee takes into account "both aggravating and mitigating circumstances", and it has the power to enforce the ban globally.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
The lined, painstaking, aggravating face of the coroner, the gold pince-nez on his nose.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
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.
