Synonyms of aggravate
120 similar words · 7 opposite words
Another word for aggravate is exacerbate. Other synonyms of aggravate are add insult to injury, twist the knife, add fuel to the fire, cap it all off and fan the flames. The opposite of aggravate is alleviate.
Synonyms and similar words for aggravate
verbTo make (an offence) worse or more severe; to increase in offensiveness or heinousness.
- add insult to injuryTo further a loss with mockery or indignity; to worsen an already unfavorable situation.
- twist the knifeTo deliberately do or say something to worsen a difficult situation or increase a person's distress, irritation, or...
- add fuel to the fire
- cap it all off
- fan the flamesTo intensify or worsen an already difficult situation.
- make matters worseTo worsen an already difficult situation or unfavourable set of circumstances, typically by acting rashly, foolishly...
- throw gasoline on the fireSynonym of add fuel to the fire.
- With malice
- hit someone when they are downSynonym of kick someone when they are down (“make things worse for someone in a difficult position”).
- kick a dog when it's downTo make things worse for someone in an adverse situation.
- kick someone when they are downTo make things worse for someone who is going through a difficult time.
- punch down
- put the boot in
- rub it in
- rub salt in the woundTo aggravate or exacerbate a physical or emotional injury.
- strike someone when they are downSynonym of kick someone when they are down (“make things worse for someone in a difficult position”).
verbTo make (any bad thing) worse.
- exacerbateTo make worse (a problem, bad situation, negative feeling, etc.).
verbTo give extra weight or intensity to; to exaggerate, to magnify.
verbTo pile or heap (something heavy or onerous) on or upon someone.
verbTo exasperate; to provoke or irritate.
- provokeTo cause someone to become annoyed or angry.
- irritateTo provoke impatience, anger, or displeasure in.
- exasperateTo tax the patience of; irk, frustrate, vex, provoke, annoy; to make angry.
- annoy
- nettle
- rankle
- ruffle
- sting
- burn someone's assTo irritate, bother, grind one's gears.
- antagonizeTo work against; to oppose (especially to incite a reaction).
- botherTo annoy, to disturb, to irritate; to be troublesome to, to make trouble for.
- disgruntleTo make discontent or cross; to put in a bad temper.
- botherateTo bother.
- bug
- get
- grate
- burn upTo anger; to annoy.
- bedevilTo harass or cause trouble for; to plague.
- acerbate formal
- cheese off slangTo annoy.
- devilTo annoy or bother.
- frustrateTo cause stress or annoyance.
- get up
- grotch
- hack off
- hassleTo trouble, to bother, to annoy.
- irkTo irritate; annoy; bother.
- jazz
- molestTo annoy, trouble, or afflict.
- mommick US, dialectalTo harass or bother (someone or something).
- narkTo annoy or irritate.
- pee off slangSynonym of piss off (all senses).
- peeveTo annoy; vex.
- peeve offSynonym of annoy or piss off.
- persecute
- piqueTo wound the pride of (someone); to excite to anger; to irritate, to offend.
- piss off vulgarTo annoy, anger.
- rileTo stir or move from a state of calm or order.
- rile upTo rile; to aggravate.
- roilTo annoy; to make angry; to throw into discord.
- stormTo disturb or trouble (someone).
- test someone's patienceTo begin to frustrate someone.
- tick off Canada, USTo annoy, aggravate.
- troubleIn weaker sense: to bother or inconvenience.
- try one's patience
- vexTo annoy, irritate.
- Idioms:
- boil someone's piss vulgarTo irritate someone very much; to make someone very annoyed.
- chap someone's hideTo annoy someone; get on someone's nerves.
- get on someone's nervesTo annoy or irritate someone; to bother someone.
- get on someone's tits vulgarTo annoy or irritate.
- get on someone's wickTo annoy or upset someone, especially by repeated disagreeable actions.
- get someone's back upTo annoy or anger someone.
- get someone's dander upTo anger or annoy someone.
- get someone's goatTo annoy or infuriate someone.
- get someone's Irish upTo anger or annoy someone.
- get someone's nanny
- get someone's nanny-goat
- get under one's goat
- get under someone's skin
- give someone the shits Australia, colloquialTo annoy or frustrate someone to a great degree.
- grind one's gearsTo annoy or irritate one.
- harsh one's mellowTo spoil one's good mood or to annoy one.
- put someone's back upSynonym of get someone's back up: to annoy someone.
- raise someone's hacklesTo annoy or anger someone.
- rub someone the wrong wayTo cause someone irritation, discomfort or annoyance, often unintentionally, because of one's behavior, manner...
- rub up the wrong wayTo annoy or anger someone.
- ruffle someone's feathersTo unease, cause discomfort to someone.
- tee off slangTo irritate, vex, or annoy.
- torque off USTo annoy, distress, or anger.
- nerve rare
verbMore synonyms
Opposite of aggravate
verbTo make (an offence) worse or more severe; to increase in offensiveness or heinousness.
- pour oil on troubled watersTo calm, appease or quiet a person or situation.
- alleviateTo reduce or lessen the severity of a pain or difficulty.
verbTo make (any bad thing) worse.
verbMore antonyms
Meaning of aggravate
- verb To make (an offence) worse or more severe; to increase in offensiveness or heinousness.
- verb To make (any bad thing) worse.
- verb To give extra weight or intensity to; to exaggerate, to magnify.
aggravate in other languages
Questions about synonyms of aggravate
- What is another word for aggravate?
- Aggravate has 120 synonyms on Word.ws, such as exacerbate, add insult to injury, twist the knife, add fuel to the fire, cap it all off, fan the flames, make matters worse and throw gasoline on the fire.
- What is the opposite of aggravate?
- The opposite of aggravate is alleviate.
- What does aggravate mean?
- Aggravate means to make (an offence) worse or more severe; to increase in offensiveness or heinousness.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: aggravate (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this page: “Synonyms of aggravate.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/aggravate. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.