agravarse
verbCEFR B2
What does “agravarse” mean in English?
to worsen, to deteriorate — to become more serious or severe
to worsen, to deteriorate — to become more serious or severe (la situación se ha agravado, agravarse el conflicto)
Example sentences
La crisis humanitaria se ha agravado notablemente desde que se interrumpió el acceso a los corredores de ayuda internacional.
The humanitarian crisis has worsened notably since access to international aid corridors was cut off.
Si no se toman medidas urgentes, el deterioro medioambiental podría agravarse hasta alcanzar un punto de no retorno.
If urgent measures are not taken, the environmental deterioration could worsen to the point of no return.
How to use it
Agravarse (reflexive verb) means 'to worsen' or 'to deteriorate' — the situation becomes more serious over time. It is a formal register verb, typical in journalism, medical writing, and policy discourse. Key construction: la situación/el conflicto/la crisis se ha agravado. Close synonyms form an essential B2 cluster: agravarse (worsen progressively), agudizarse (intensify, sharpen in severity), empeorar (general: get worse, neutral register). Agravarse implies a cumulative deterioration; agudizarse implies a sudden intensification. Learners must not treat them as interchangeable in formal writing.
Common mistake
Agravarse (gradual worsening over time) vs agudizarse (sudden intensification of a sharp problem). 'The pain worsened overnight' = 'El dolor se agudizó de un día para otro' (sudden onset) — not agravarse, which implies a slower accumulation.