English Explanatory Dictionary

aggravate

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To make (an offence) worse or more severe; to increase in offensiveness or heinousness.
  2. To make (any bad thing) worse.
  3. To give extra weight or intensity to; to exaggerate, to magnify.
  4. To pile or heap (something heavy or onerous) on or upon someone.
  5. To exasperate; to provoke or irritate.
adj
  1. Aggravated.
  2. Loaded, burdened, weighed down.
  3. Heightened, intensified.
  4. Under ecclesiastical censure, excommunicated.

Pronunciation

/ˈæɡ.ɹə.veɪ̯t/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Mélange a trois-aggravate.wav /ˈæɡɹəvət/ /əɡrəˈveʈ/ /ˈaɡrəveʈ/

Word forms

aggravate aggravates aggravating aggravated more aggravate most aggravate

Etymology

The adjective is first attested in 1471 in Middle English, the verb in 1530; from Latin aggravātus, perfect passive participle of aggravō (“to add to the weight of, make worse, oppress, annoy”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from ad- (“to”) + gravō (“to make heavy”), from gravis (“heavy”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). See grave and compare aggrieve and aggrege. Participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English. By surface analysis, ag- + grave (“heavy”) + -ate (“verb suffix”).

Synonyms

adulterate aggravate alloy canker contaminate corrupt debase debauch defile deflower degrade deteriorate downgrade envenom exasperate exacerbate infect impair leaven pejorate set back stain sophisticate uplift vitiate weaken add insult to injury twist the knife add fuel to the fire cap it all off fan the flames make matters worse throw gasoline on the fire With malice hit someone when they are down kick a dog when it's down kick someone when they are down punch down put the boot in rub it in rub salt in the wound strike someone when they are down heighten intensify increase magnify accelerate accrue aggrandize augment embiggen enhance enlarge greaten grow swell wax wind up dogpile heap on

Antonyms

ameliorate improve mitigate repair restore pour oil on troubled waters alleviate

Related words

aggravation worsen make matters worse

Derived words

aggravatable aggravative aggravator aggro overaggravate reaggravate
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