irritate

verb

ir·ri·tate ˈir-ə-ˌtāt

irritated; irritating

Synonyms of irritate next

transitive verb

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

: to induce irritability in or of

intransitive verb

: to cause or induce displeasure or irritation

Choose the Right Synonym for 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.

constant nagging that irritated me greatly

exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.

his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions

nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.

your pompous attitude nettled several people

provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.

remarks made solely to provoke her

rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.

the new work schedules riled the employees

peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.

a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie

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 on the Web The irritating mystery brings to mind a recent comment from Jake Wood, the CEO of corporate philanthropy company Groundswell about the obligation to work in an office. —

Jane Thier, Fortune, 19 Nov. 2023 Alcohol irritates the stomach lining and increases the production of stomach acid, which can lead to nausea, stomach pain, and vomiting. —

Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 15 Nov. 2023 Recreational drugs: On a very different note, snorting recreational drugs like cocaine can irritate the lining of the nose and contribute to nosebleeds. —

Beth Krietsch, SELF, 15 Nov. 2023 Failure to pass all 12 bills that fund the government for the full fiscal year will greatly irritate the far-right flank of the GOP conference, even though it, too, has been deeply entrenched in making sure its own spending demands are met throughout the process. —

Marianna Sotomayor, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023 Don’t smoke: As these are respiratory illnesses, smoking can irritate the lungs and airway passages. —

Dominique Fluker, Essence, 25 Oct. 2023 Keep in Mind The same ingredients that give sunscreens like this one their appealing scents can be irritating to very sensitive skin. —

Sarah Bradley, Verywell Health, 1 Nov. 2023 The technology has also irritated a growing number of San Francisco drivers and city workers who have had to deal with a series of problems and delays caused by the robotaxis. —

Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Oct. 2023 The salt may irritate your eyes or get in your nose. Breathe deeply from your diaphragm. —

Anne McCarthy, Health, 31 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'irritate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.