irritate

verb ir·ri·tate \ ˈir-ə-ˌtāt \

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: irritate in a Sentence

Definition of irritate

irritated; irritating

transitive verb

1 : to provoke impatience, anger, or displeasure in : annoy

2 : to induce irritability in or of

intransitive verb

: to cause or induce displeasure or irritation

See irritate defined for English-language learners

See irritate defined for kids

Examples of irritate in a Sentence

It's his arrogance that really irritates me.
The other passengers were irritated by the child's rudeness.
Harsh soaps can irritate the skin.

Recent Examples of irritate from the Web

Lighten up the moment, and be more direct when dealing with someone who inevitably irritates you.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Horoscope," 16 June 2018
And salicylic acid products used directly as spot treatment on red spots can actually worsen the acne by irritating it.

— adam hurly, GQ, "How to Get Rid of Adult Acne," 13 June 2018
Atopic dermatitis is not to be confused with contact dermatitis, which is basically any skin inflammation caused by direct contact with an irritating substance—like poison ivy, makeup that irritates you, or even a toxic substance like pepper spray.

— korin miller, SELF, "5 Types of Eczema You Should Know, Because There’s Actually More Than One," 31 May 2018
The episodes tended to include directional, irritating sounds, such as buzzing and piercing squeals, as well as pressure and vibrations.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "US gov’t employee in China left with brain injury after strange sounds, pressure," 23 May 2018
Paula’s Choice is one of the few brands to take a big stance against fragrance in skin care because of its ability to irritate.

— ashley weatherford, The Cut, "Skin Care’s Most Outspoken Founder on Why Sheet Masks Are a Lie," 11 May 2018
Using a gentle formula can help get the gunk off without further irritating you.

— korin miller, Allure, "7 Ways to Relieve Allergy and Asthma Symptoms," 24 Apr. 2018
The new drop-off location, relocated from the terminal curb two years ago, continues to irritate travelers, who complain about the inconvenient route and additional distance to reach the main terminal.

— susan glaser, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Hopkins capital improvements plan includes baggage system, shuttle drop-off," 17 Apr. 2018
President Trump on Monday continued his Twitter tantrum against Amazon, which seems to irritate him even more than CNN.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "Trump, Amazon and the Post Office," 2 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'irritate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of irritate

Latin irritatus, past participle of irritare

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1598

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

irritate Synonyms

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;

Synonym Discussion of irritate

irritate, exasperate, nettle, provoke, rile, peeve 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.