aggravate
verb (used with object)
to make worse or more severe; intensify, as anything evil, disorderly, or troublesome.
has aggravated
-
present perfectof aggravate (3rd person singular).present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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 oil blockade has aggravated the country's worst economic and energy crisis in decades, leading to warnings of a humanitarian disaster.
From Barron's ● May 7, 2026
What has aggravated it, she says, is the legal risk of being deemed unpatriotic.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2024
Among Arab American leaders, news of Manning’s parole has aggravated the painful wound of Odeh’s still unsolved death, and for some, has reinforced a belief that the American judicial system let them down.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2023
The tone of Lopez’s talk has aggravated Taylor to the point that a police officer was positioned between them when they posed for pictures at their press conference Thursday.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 9, 2023
I don't wonder that this stuff has aggravated all your symptoms.
From Off-Hand Sketches A Little Dashed with Humor by T. S. (Timothy Shay) Arthur
