noun
aggravation
ag-ruh-VAY-shuhn
noun
1
The act of making something worse, or a factor that does so.
"The report cited pollution as an aggravation of the health crisis."
"Any aggravation of the wound requires immediate treatment."
2
A feeling of irritation or annoyance.
"The delay caused a lot of aggravation for passengers."
"He complained about the aggravation of dealing with the paperwork."
How to Use Aggravation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a worsening of a problem, or the annoyance you feel.
Common pairings
cause aggravation
source of aggravation
Word Forms
aggravations plural
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The report cited pollution as an _____ of the health crisis.
Etymology
From Middle French aggravation, from the same Latin root as "aggravate."