Aggravating describes something that makes a situation worse or more irritating, often provoking anger or frustration. It can also describe actions or people that intensify a problem, escalating annoyance. The term carries a mildly negative tone, suitable for describing aggravating circumstances or behaviors in everyday language.
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- You may misplace stress or flatten the grav syllable; ensure the primary emphasis is on grav: ə-GRAV-ə-ting. - Avoid turning the middle -va- into a heavy vowel or reducing it to a mere schwa; emphasize a light second vowel without swallowing it. - Don’t overemphasize the final -ing; keep it light and quick to avoid sounding like a noun 'aggravation'.
- US: rhotic /ɹ/ in grav and consequent vowels; keep /æ/ clear; - UK: non-rhotic R, a slightly shorter /ɜ/ or /ə/ in the second syllable; - AU: broader vowel quality, more centralized /æ/; note that in all, the /t/ is a crisp, unaspirated stop when linking; practice with IPA: /əˈɡræ.vəˌteɪ.tɪŋ/ to maintain accuracy across accents.
"The constant dripping from the faucet is aggravating me while I try to sleep."
"Her delay in delivering the report was aggravating the already tense situation."
"That bureaucratic red tape is incredibly aggravating for small business owners."
"He called the loud construction next door aggravating and asked for temporary compensation."
Aggravating comes from the Middle French aggravier (to aggravate) which itself derives from the Latin aggravare, from ag- (toward, to) + gravis (heavy, serious). The sense expansion from “make heavier” to “worse in quality or state” occurred over centuries in English. The verb aggravate appears in early modern English with meanings related to adding weight or severity to something, evolving to a figurative sense of increasing irritation or trouble. By the 19th century, aggravating commonly described troublesome or annoying behaviors or situations. The noun form aggravation shares the same root, emphasizing the act or result of making conditions worse. First known uses appear in medical and legal texts where aggravating factors or aggravating circumstances described elements that increase risk or severity. Over time, phraseology shifted into everyday language to characterize anything that heightens difficulty or distress. Modern usage covers both emotional irritation and procedural or logistical complications, retaining the core idea of increasing weight, severity, or trouble.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "aggravating" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "aggravating" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "aggravating" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "aggravating"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce as ə-GRAV-ə-tay-ting. Primary stress on the second syllable grav, with secondary stress on tay? Actually standard: /əˈɡræ.vəˌteɪ.tɪŋ/. Break it: a-GRAV-va-ting, with the /æ/ in grav, /təɪ/ in -tait-, and final -ɪŋ. Mouth opens wider for /æ/, then relaxes for /ə/. The third syllable features a light schwa on the second ‘a’. Practice by saying: a-GRAV-va-ting, emphasizing grav and -tait- while keeping the final -ing soft.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (saying a-GRAV-a-ting instead of ə-ˈɡræ.və-ˌteɪ.tɪŋ), mispronouncing the /æ/ as /eɪ/ or /ɑː/ and treating -ting as a separate stressed syllable. Corrections: keep primary stress on grav (second syllable) and use a clear /æ/ in grav; reduce the middle -va- to a light schwa; treat -ting as /ˈtɪŋ/ or /tɪŋ/ with a soft, quick -ing. Practice with a slow rhythm and then speed up.
In US, /əˈɡræ.vəˌteɪ.tɪŋ/ with rhotic r and fully pronounced /ɡræ/. In UK, /əˈɡræ.vəˌteɪ.tɪŋ/ often with non-rhotic r, vowel qualities slightly more rounded, and a crisper /t/; still stress on grav. In AU, vowels may be more centralized, with slightly flatter /æ/ and a tendency toward a little more vowel duration in the -gate part. Overall rhotics vary, but the syllable structure remains consistent.
Because it mixes a multisyllabic rhythm with a stressed secondary syllable and a diphthong in -teɪt. The sequence grav-a-teɪ-tɪŋ places emphasis on two consecutive stressed or prominent vowels, and the /æ/ vowel in grav often sounds subtle in connected speech. Additionally, the /ɡ/ cluster and the transition from /æ/ to /və/ require precise tongue positioning; quick, natural speech tends to compress the middle vowels.
The unique feature is the triplet of unstressed-syllable transitions around grav: a-GRAV-va-ting. The first syllable is weak, the second is the strongest, then a light third syllable with a diphthong /eɪ/ in teɪ, followed by a final light -ɪŋ. Keeping a clear boundary between grav and va and a subtle but audible /ɪŋ/ at the end helps differentiate it from similar words like 'aggravate' or 'gravitating'.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "aggravating"!
- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker say the word in a sentence and repeat, matching rhythm and stress; - Minimal pairs: aggravating vs aggravate, gravitating vs gravitate, facilitating focus on grav’s prominence; - Rhythm: practice 4-beat timing: a-GRAV-a-ting, pausing slightly after grav in moderation; - Stress practice: isolate the grav syllable by drawing it out slightly before continuing; - Recording: read a paragraph containing aggravating sentences and compare to a reference track; - Context sentences: Provide 2 sentence practice with context.
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