to aggravate

Examples

• All

• The budget problem this year was aggravated by the caps set firmly in place in 1997.

  Academic text (1999)

• First, price increases would further aggravate the inflationary pressures that the government was seeking to control.

  Academic text (1999)

• The current educational climate might only aggravate issues for these students.

  Academic text (2015)

• Cases like this aggravate the perception of fear.

• Some children may have allergies that will be aggravated by the presence of a dog in the classroom.

  Academic text (2013)

• In my denial, I had foolishly allowed myself to dehydrate, which aggravated an already serious condition.

  Fiction book (1998)

• Low and declining birth rates, prevalent in the EC, have also aggravated the labor shortage.

  Academic text (1990)

• The infection can aggravate underlying co-morbidities, especially chronic respiratory disease, and is associated with significant morbidity.

  Academic text (2015)

• Peter Lilley, does my right honourable friend agree that most of our social problems are either caused or aggravated by the acute shortage of housing?

• The noise from the construction site will only aggravate my headache.

Synonyms

I

to intensify

vsto aggravate

110 4.0

Make something stronger or more intense

means make a situation worse rather than only increase intensity

E

to exacerbate

vsto aggravate

69 8.0

To make a problem or feeling worse

is the general verb for causing a situation to become worse

W

to worsen

vsto aggravate

61 3.9

To make a situation or condition less good

is the broader, more neutral term for making things worse

M

to make matters worse

vsto aggravate

37 4.0

To cause a situation to become more difficult or unpleasant

is the plain verb for making a situation worse

I

to inflame

vsto aggravate

31 5.8

To make people's feelings stronger, especially anger or hate

targets harm or severity of situations rather than emotional arousal

E

to exasperate

vsto aggravate

1 8.9

Make a problem or feeling worse

is used more generally to mean cause a situation to get worse

W

to worsify

vsto aggravate

• Informal

9.9

To make something worse

is the standard, neutral term rather than slang

E

to enflame

vsto aggravate

6.4

To make feelings like anger or excitement stronger

is about making circumstances worse rather than provoking feelings

Antonyms

I

to improve

∞ 1.0

To make something better

A

to alleviate

76 5.3

To make pain, suffering, or a problem less strong

How Severe

to escalate

220 5.5

to exacerbate

69 8.0

to compound

61 6.9

to aggravate

73 4.6

to worsen

61 3.9

to deteriorate

146 5.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology