aggravation
noun
Common Uses of Aggravate, Aggravation, and Aggravating: Usage Guide
Although aggravate has been used to refer to rousing someone to anger since the 17th century, it has been the object of disapproval only since about 1870. It is used in expository prose
William Styron
but seems to be more common in speech and casual writing.
Jackie Gleason, interview, 1986
Mark Twain, letter, 1864
The "make worse" meaning is far more common in published prose than the "rouse to anger" meaning. Such is not the case, however, with aggravation and aggravating. Aggravation is used in the "irritation, provocation" sense somewhat more than in its earlier senses; aggravating has practically no use other than to express annoyance.
Synonyms
Examples of aggravation in a Sentence
Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 4 Oct. 2024
No doubt other customers just avoid the aggravation of trying to cancel, knowing how difficult the process will be.
—Roger Dooley, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
The games are full of jokes at the player’s expense—traps and dead ends and carefully orchestrated aggravations.
—Gabriel Winslow-Yost, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
The big picture: These loophole gambling joints have long been an aggravation to police and an eyesore to neighbors.
—Alexandria Sands, Axios, 11 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for aggravation 
Dictionary Entries Near aggravation
Cite this Entry
“Aggravation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aggravation. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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aggravation
noun
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