irritate

ir·ri·tate

verb \ˈir-ə-ˌtāt\

ir·ri·tat·edir·ri·tat·ing

Definition of IRRITATE

transitive verb

1

: to provoke impatience, anger, or displeasure in

2

: to cause (an organ or tissue) to be irritable : produce irritation in <harsh soaps may irritate the skin>

3

: to produce excitation in (as a nerve) : cause (as a muscle) to contract

intransitive verb

: to induce irritation