aggravated
Americanadjective
-
I get so aggravated when I get this much junk mail.
-
made worse or more severe; intensified.
Stress impedes the emptying of the stomach, which can lead to aggravated heartburn.
-
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
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 6
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Renault will face a criminal trial in France on aggravated fraud charges over accusations that devices in its diesel cars were designed to cheat clean air laws, the public prosecutor's office told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
It’s a promising sign for a pitcher who twice had to shut down throwing early in his rehab when he aggravated the injury.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
Financial Supervisory Service Gov. Lee Chan-jin expressed sorrow at failing to halt the launch of single-stock leveraged ETFs in May, saying it might have aggravated market swings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
Emma Raducanu missed training at Wimbledon on Thursday as she manages an injury aggravated by her run to the Queen's final.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
Today the FBI’s juvenile violent-crime index, which measures arrests for murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, is lower than it was in 1980, and that’s true across racial lines.
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
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.
