- 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 said Phelan's actions were a "joint enterprise with others" which was a "serious aggravating factor".
From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026
Midtown felt like a party, even as the Secret Service closed off chunks of 7th and 8th avenue and warned of aggravating security lines.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
It specified 10 aggravating factors, the presence of which would allow a jury to return a death sentence in the belief that such “guided discretion” would pass constitutional muster.
From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026
He said the international community needed to do more to prevent foreign trawlers operating illegally in the region, aggravating locals.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
And that’s how I felt about our dreadful boardinghouse, the wretched meals we were served, and the aggravating theatrics of miserly Mrs. Wigginbottom.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
