aggravate

To aggravate someone is to bother,  cause problems, or increase a problem. It’s similar to the word "irritate."

• This situation aggravates me. (present tense)
• This situation is aggravating me. (present continuous tense)
• Her lack of concern about her grades aggravates her teachers and her parents.
• Smoking has aggravated his condition. (He made his health condition worse.)
• Don’t aggravate her.
• Don’t aggravate me.

Some students confuse the past participle "aggravated" with the present continuous tense (be aggravating) or the adjectives, "aggravating" and "aggravated."

• The drivers are aggravated by the traffic jam. (This sentence is in the passive voice.)
• The traffic jam is aggravating the drivers. (This sentence is in the past continuous tense.)
• She feels aggravated by her supervisor’s lack of clear directions.
• Her boss’s inability to clearly communicate directions aggravates her.
• I feel aggravated. / I’m aggravated.
• This is aggravating.
• Flying can be an aggravating experience, especially if you have connecting flights.
• The passengers on the plane were aggravated by the delays. They felt aggravated.

Click here to learn more words.

June 21, 2013