aggravate the issue

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "aggravate the issue" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing a situation that is becoming worse or more complicated due to certain actions or factors. Example: "The lack of communication between departments will only serve to aggravate the issue further."

✓ Grammatically correct

BMC Infectious Diseases

The New York Times - Travel

TechCrunch

Vice

BMC Health Services Research

Journal of Hydrology

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Huffington Post

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

The New York Times

BMJ Open

ROBOMECH Journal

BMC Public Health

International Journal of Disaster Risk Science

The Economist

BMC Health Services Research

The Guardian - Opinion

The New York Times

The New York Times

The New York Times

Unicef

BMC Health Services Research

BMC Systems Biology

The New York Times

Los Angeles Times

The New York Times

Unicef

Huffington Post

The Guardian - Tech

The New York Times

The Economist

The New York Times - Sports

The New York Times

The Economist

The New York Times

The Journal of Headache and Pain

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The truth is a large number of people share the same house or camp for sheltering for the production of crops in the study area, which could be aggravate the issue of concern.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Drought, climate change and growing demands by users aggravate the issue.

Journal of Hydrology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Regardless of which side of the debate you are on, shrinking airline capacity has aggravated the issue with passengers of all sizes facing more tightly packed flights and cramped seating.

The New York Times - Travel

Because of the rapid turnover, few developers put much time into their efforts, which simply aggravates the issue.

TechCrunch

Undeniably, AIDS only aggravated the issue, decimating much of the club-going generation with fear and its sexually transmitted death sentence.

Vice

Underrepresentation of Aboriginal doctors and other health professionals' further aggravates the issue.

BMC Health Services Research

To tackle the second issue, more nodes on the path from k to j will have to apply the filter, thus aggravating the first issue.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

In other words, students who may be susceptible to mental health issues, like post-traumatic stress disorder or panic disorders, are undeserving of a warning that a lecture or guest speaker may aggravate those issues or traumatic experiences.

Huffington Post

In addition, the gas-water two phase flow will further aggravate the complexity of this issue.

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

The issue is aggravating longstanding frictions in Europe.

The New York Times

24 The issue is aggravated by the hypothesis that measurement bias might increase with effort to reach participants: late respondents, who are less available and/or more reluctant to take the survey but will eventually take it might be more likely to provide answers filled with measurement errors.

BMJ Open

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "aggravate the issue" when you want to emphasize that a specific action or situation is making an existing problem worse. Consider the context and choose synonyms like "exacerbate" or "worsen" if a different nuance is desired.

Common error

Avoid using "aggravate the issue" to describe minor annoyances or irritations. The phrase implies a significant problem is being made more severe, so it's not appropriate for trivial situations. Using it incorrectly can sound overly dramatic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "aggravate the issue" functions as a verb phrase, where "aggravate" is the verb and "the issue" is the direct object. According to Ludwig, this phrase is commonly used in various contexts to indicate the worsening of a particular problem or situation.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Wiki

9%

Science

9%

News & Media

8%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "aggravate the issue" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to convey that something is making a problem worse. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides various examples across different contexts, including news, science, and formal business writing. While synonyms like "exacerbate the situation" and "worsen the problem" exist, choosing the most appropriate term depends on the desired level of formality and the specific nuance you want to convey. Be mindful not to overuse the phrase in trivial situations, as it implies a significant problem. Consider different writing strategies to best convey your intent.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

aggravate the circumstances

This alternative keeps the verb "aggravate" but replaces the word "issue" with the word "circumstances."

exacerbate the situation

This alternative uses a more formal word, "exacerbate", and the term "situation" instead of "issue".

worsen the problem

This option uses simpler language, replacing "aggravate" with "worsen" and "issue" with "problem".

compound the difficulty

This alternative conveys a sense of adding to an existing difficulty, rather than simply making it worse.

intensify the matter

This phrase suggests increasing the intensity of a problem, often implying emotional or urgent aspects.

inflame the subject

This option implies adding fuel to a contentious topic, making it more heated or controversial.

heighten the concern

This alternative emphasizes the increase in worry or apprehension related to the issue.

amplify the crisis

This suggests making a crisis bigger or more widespread, often involving a sense of urgency.

deepen the crisis

This expression highlights the intensification of a crisis, suggesting that it becomes more entrenched or severe.

deteriorate the case

This option conveys a sense of decline or decay in the state of affairs.

FAQs

How can I use "aggravate the issue" in a sentence?

You can use "aggravate the issue" to describe actions or situations that worsen an existing problem. For example, "Ignoring the warning signs will only aggravate the issue." It is important to consider the context and use appropriate alternatives when needed.

What are some alternatives to "aggravate the issue"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "exacerbate the situation", "worsen the problem", or "compound the difficulty".

What is the difference between "aggravate the issue" and "exacerbate the issue"?

While both phrases mean to make something worse, "exacerbate the issue" is often considered more formal than "aggravate the issue". They are largely interchangeable but "exacerbate" might be preferred in academic or professional contexts.

When is it appropriate to use "aggravate the issue" in writing?

It is appropriate to use "aggravate the issue" when discussing how a particular action, inaction or decision negatively impacts an existing problem and makes it even more severe. Consider whether synonyms like "worsen the situation" might be more appropriate depending on the context.