aggrieve

Definition of aggrievenext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb aggrieve differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of aggrieve are oppress, persecute, and wrong. While all these words mean "to injure unjustly or outrageously," aggrieve implies suffering caused by an infringement or denial of rights.

a legal aid society representing aggrieved minority groups

When can oppress be used instead of aggrieve?

While in some cases nearly identical to aggrieve, oppress suggests inhumane imposing of burdens one cannot endure or exacting more than one can perform.

a people oppressed by a warmongering tyrant

In what contexts can persecute take the place of aggrieve?

Although the words persecute and aggrieve have much in common, persecute implies a relentless and unremitting subjection to annoyance or suffering.

a child persecuted by constant criticism

Where would wrong be a reasonable alternative to aggrieve?

The words wrong and aggrieve can be used in similar contexts, but wrong implies inflicting injury either unmerited or out of proportion to what one deserves.

a penal system that had wronged him

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of aggrieve Now, rather than view North Korea as an unruly, angry neighbor, China has welcomed it, along with Russia and Iran, as part of what White House officials call a coalition of the aggrieved. Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2023 British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a chemicals magnate and an avid outdoorsman, was aggrieved when Land Rover replaced its rugged and rudimentary old Defender with a design that shares its engineering principles with current passenger cars. Ben Oliver, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2023 Amazon prohibits class action lawsuits in which aggrieved sellers can aggregate their claims and have their case decided by a judge or a jury. Sandeep Vaheesan, The New Republic, 28 Feb. 2023 He was aggrieved when Hitler, in an attempt to make the National Socialists more palatable to the middle class, opposed the Rural People’s Movement, a popular anti-Weimar tax revolt, which was commendably trying to blow up buildings in Berlin. Thomas Meaney, Harper’s Magazine , 16 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for aggrieve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggrieve
Verb
  • Soon, Callaghan — alongside Nic Mosher and Evan Gilbert-Katz — was traversing the country in a shabby RV, documenting the surreal, perturbing and often hilarious fringes of American culture.
    Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
  • Brubaker, still perturbed about Wolcott calling time, immediately yelled at Wolcott and had to be calmed down by Susac.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In 1602, she was afflicted by a slew of symptoms, such as convulsions, fits, and terrors.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
  • And so what was once out of bounds continued to move within the Pale, and a scourge went on afflicting politicians and groypers and, yes, comedians alike.
    Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The author calculated the shock wave’s energy that would be deposited in a human body by using physics similar to that of a bullet impact, which, though disquieting to say the least, is not a bad assumption from a scientific standpoint.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The impersonations were disquieting.
    Robert Faturechi, ProPublica, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Hokum gives you a taste of one tormented scribe’s fiction before introducing you to the man behind the keyboard.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
  • However, no ransom was ever paid, and no proof of life was ever produced, which has left Clemente to theorize that perhaps Nancy was kidnapped to torment her family.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In a third discomposing show of baseball in as many days, the Brewers fell, 8-6, to the lowly A's, who looked like anything but in an emphatic weekend-long dismantling of a team that entered in first place.
    Journal Sentinel, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2023
Verb
  • The LaMunyons’ location was maimed in January when a Ford F150 collided into the restaurant.
    Jenna Thompson April 16, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
  • About this many children have been killed or maimed in the war, according to UNICEF.
    ABC News, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Caloric restriction, for example, upset her menstruation.
    David Oliver, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Coral upset experienced veterans of the sport, Christina Gasparich from Los Angeles, and Calla Allison from San Clemente, both of whom have been on the USA National BodySurfing Team for the past three years in-a-row.
    News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Najib was in that position in 2011 when teenagers who scrawled antigovernment graffiti on a school wall in Daraa were arrested and tortured.
    Ghaith Alsayed, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Towns tortured the Hawks, scoring 20 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists, marking the first triple-double of his playoff career.
    James L. Edwards III, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Aggrieve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggrieve. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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