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

• 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

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

Be sure to wear protective gear while doing this as the bugs' cocoons can irritate skin, too. —Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024

May irritate your gut: Research has shown that tablets might cause abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. —Health Editorial Team, Health, 30 Mar. 2024

Since salicylic acid can irritate skin, the serum is formulated with a water-soluble salicylic acid that still decongests skin and refines the appearance of pores without drying or stressing out skin. —Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

That’s because the cleansers and moisturizers could contain some irritating ingredients, and the process overall might feel harsh. —Kirsten Nunez, SELF, 29 Mar. 2024

The product also has a strong scent that might irritate some individuals. —Danielle Zoellner, Verywell Health, 26 Mar. 2024

Ingredients could have broken down into irritating chemicals once past their expiration date or there could be bacteria and yeast growing in the product, which could lead to infection and forms of skin irritation such as bumps and rashes. —Audrey Noble, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2024

The twice-yearly switcheroo is irritating enough to lawmakers of all political stripes that the US Senate passed legislation in March 2022 to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024

The brand has banned 2,000 potentially irritating ingredients from its products, instead opting for high-quality ingredients that are dermatologist-tested and loved by parents. —Tanya Edwards, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin irritatus, past participle of irritare

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

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