irritate

verb

ir·​ri·​tate ˈir-ə-ˌtāt 

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

Synonyms of irritate

• annoy
• bother
• bug
• persecute
• aggravate

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

As for makeup remover wipes, many people complain that the pre-moistened cloths often fail to remove makeup entirely and can irritate skin. —Tatayana Yomary, Essence, 28 Jan. 2026

But for most of us and in our daily lives, epistemic trespassing is simply irritating. —Big Think, 28 Jan. 2026

Strong HOCl concentrations or products with fragrance or additional ingredients could irritate the skin. —Erica Sweeney, Time, 28 Jan. 2026

The texture of the material can also dictate your comfort level, as options made with smooth material won’t irritate your skin. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin irritatus, past participle of irritare

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for irritate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

irritate

verb

ir·​ri·​tate ˈir-ə-ˌtāt 

irritated; irritating

1

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

were irritated by the child's rudeness

2

: to make sore or inflamed

harsh soaps can irritate the skin

Medical Definition

irritate

verb

ir·​ri·​tate ˈir-ə-ˌtāt 

irritated; irritating

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