irritate

irritate

verb

Definition of IRRITATE

1

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts <constant chatter irritated the student, who was trying to concentrate on a hard assignment>

Synonyms aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat, exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, itch, nark [British], nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, vex

Related Words hassle, heckle; nag; inflame (also enflame), provoke, rouse; badger, bait, bullyrag (also ballyrag), devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease; anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil; agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry; affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage

Phrases get one's goat, get on one's nerves, get to, rub the wrong way, set one's teeth on edge, stick in one's craw, wear on

Near Antonyms appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate; delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy; assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe

2

to make sore by continued rubbing <new shoes usually irritate my feet>

Synonyms abrade, excoriate, fret, gall, irritate

Related Words graze, scrape, scratch; burn, inflame (also enflame); flay, peel, skin