# aggravate

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈæɡ.ɹə.veɪ̯t/ · frequency rank #36,851

## Definitions
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.

## 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.

## Easily confused with
- **aggregate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aggravate-vs-aggregate)
- **aggravated** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aggravate-vs-aggravated)

## Common misspellings (11)
`aggarvate`, `aggraavte`, `aggravaet`, `aggravatte`, `aggravtae`, `aggravvate`, `aggrravate`, `aggrvaate`, `agravate`, `agrgavate`, `gagravate`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/aggravate