aggravation
Americannoun
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an increase in intensity, seriousness, or severity; act of making worse.
an aggravation of pain.
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the state of being aggravated.
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something that causes an increase in intensity, degree, or severity.
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annoyance; exasperation.
Johnny causes me so much aggravation!
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a source or cause of annoyance or exasperation.
Johnny's such an aggravation to her!
Usage
See aggravate.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of aggravation
1475–85; < Medieval Latin aggravātiōn- (stem of aggravātiō ); see aggravate, -ion
Explanation
An aggravation is something that makes a situation or condition worse. Getting hot and sweaty might result in an aggravation of your poison ivy rash. An aggravation of symptoms in a hospital patient is a bad sign — things are becoming more serious. Another, less formal way to use the noun aggravation is to mean something that annoys or bothers you. You might say, "Having to take the bus is such an aggravation — I'd much rather drive my car." The Latin root of aggravation is aggravare, "make heavier," or "increase in oppressiveness."
Vocabulary lists containing aggravation
Good Grief!: Grav, Griev
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Life Is So Good
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Old Yeller
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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.
Goals, aggravation, a red card that infuriated the visitors and opened a door for the hosts, a toe-to-toe fight that went to the wire.
From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026
To do that you have to put up with the aggravation, the late-night calls or the dumb questions.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 22, 2025
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.
From BBC • Jul. 1, 2025
“The risk of reinjury or aggravation is higher during the initial phase, when movement is being reintroduced.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 25, 2025
After enough aggravation, he’d retreat into his shell and harden over, and that would be the end of it.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
