aggravate
Translation
to make a problem or injury worse, to annoy or exasperate someone
Examples
Pollution can aggravate asthma.
Pollution can aggravate asthma.
His constant interruptions aggravate me.
His constant interruptions aggravate me.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to make (sth.) worse Pollution can aggravate asthma.
((sb.)) to annoy (sb.) His constant interruptions aggravate me.
Similar Words
Synonyms: worsen, exacerbate, annoy, irritate; Antonyms: alleviate, soothe, calm
Etymology
From Latin 'aggravare' (to make heavier), from 'ad-' (to) + 'gravis' (heavy).
Memory Tips
Think of adding 'gravity' or weight to a problem, making it worse. Or making someone's mood 'heavy' by annoying them.