Synonyms of irritate

irritate

verb

ˈir-ə-ˌtāt 

1

as in to annoy

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 & Similar Words

• annoy
• bother
• bug
• persecute
• aggravate
• exasperate
• infuriate
• irk
• rile
• get
• vex
• spite
• eat
• itch
• worry
• anger
• chafe
• burn (up)
• pique
• ruffle
• grate
• provoke
• gripe
• get to
• tease
• wear on
• put out
• frost
• hack (off)
• gall
• insult
• nark
• plague
• peeve
• nettle
• offend
• rub the wrong way
• harass
• enrage
• rasp
• upset
• inflame
• nag
• get on one's nerves
• stick in one's craw
• rouse
• set one's teeth on edge
• heckle
• antagonize
• unsettle
• get one's goat
• pester
• hassle
• agitate
• rankle
• discomfort
• perturb
• badger
• devil
• distress
• outrage
• roil
• discompose
• bait
• harry
• unhinge
• disquiet
• affront
• undo
• madden
• incense
• exercise
• fret
• bullyrag
• freak (out)
• hagride
• miff

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

2

as in to scratch

to make sore by continued rubbing

new shoes usually irritate my feet

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scratch
• scrape
• chafe
• fret
• excoriate
• skin
• abrade
• gall
• inflame
• graze
• burn
• peel
• flay

Synonym Chooser

How is the word irritate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of irritate are exasperate, nettle, peeve, provoke, and rile. While all these words mean "to excite a feeling of anger or annoyance," irritate implies an often gradual arousing of angry feelings that may range from mere impatience to rage.

constant nagging that irritated me greatly

When would exasperate be a good substitute for irritate?

The meanings of exasperate and irritate largely overlap; however, exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.

his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions

When is nettle a more appropriate choice than irritate?

The words nettle and irritate can be used in similar contexts, but nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.

your pompous attitude nettled several people

When might peeve be a better fit than irritate?

While the synonyms peeve and irritate are close in meaning, peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.

a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie

When could provoke be used to replace irritate?

The words provoke and irritate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.

remarks made solely to provoke her

When can rile be used instead of irritate?

In some situations, the words rile and irritate are roughly equivalent. However, rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.

the new work schedules riled the employees

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of irritate

These chemicals can irritate sensitive skin and dry out hair. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026

Customers no longer receive generic, irritating blasts, instead experiencing highly contextual, proactive and genuinely helpful brand interactions that adapt to their real-time needs. — Pratik Bhadra, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Knowing that Madame Lalouette’s sales numbers are too high to fire her, Carla attempts to transfer Madame Morel to a different department — a move that irritates her superiors and highlights her weakness. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026

Those pollutants can irritate the lungs, worsen asthma, and form ground-level ozone, the main ingredient in smog, which builds quickly in the heat of a Mid-South summer. — Austyn Gaffney, Scientific American, 9 Sep. 2026