as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
the whining child was a constant irritant to his long-suffering parents
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of irritant
That means every room your kids sleep, play and eat in gets a fresh dose of dust particles and irritants — especially important if anyone in the house has allergies or asthma.
—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Trump is shrugging them off, entering a state of weightlessness where all thought of consequences and all concern for mundane irritants like inflation and affordability are left behind.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
Poor ventilation in office buildings, along with tight quarters and air filters that aren’t regularly cleaned or replaced, can allow dust, allergens, and other irritants to build up—potentially contributing to dry eyes, skin irritation, or dull-looking skin.
—Allison Forsyth, Health, 8 Apr. 2026
These common irritants can pass right through a standard vacuum filter and get blown back into the air.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irritant
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Trump is shrugging them off, entering a state of weightlessness where all thought of consequences and all concern for mundane irritants like inflation and affordability are left behind.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
Poor ventilation in office buildings, along with tight quarters and air filters that aren’t regularly cleaned or replaced, can allow dust, allergens, and other irritants to build up—potentially contributing to dry eyes, skin irritation, or dull-looking skin.
—Allison Forsyth, Health, 8 Apr. 2026
These common irritants can pass right through a standard vacuum filter and get blown back into the air.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irritant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritant
Noun
-
But after developing a headache that lasted for several months, a friend convinced her to visit the emergency room.—
Brad Quick,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
-
This can create headaches for physicians and other providers.—
Noam N. Levey,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
City code does say that livestock cannot become a nuisance.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The spider’s diet includes ants (Hymenoptera), flies and mosquitoes (Diptera) and beetles (Coleoptera) — a lineup that reads like a checklist of common household nuisances.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon, which have killed more than 2,000 people since March 2, and Gaza could also be a thorn in negotiations, as Iran previously insisted that any cease-fire apply to the rest of the region.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Both the Kremlin and White House had valued Eurosceptic Orbán as a kindred spirit ideologically and a thorn in the side of the EU.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Precision now saves you from rework and frustration later.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Towns raised his hands — calling for the ball — then dropped them in frustration.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The go-to resource for mapping out those periods is the app EskomSePush (the name of which is a cheeky double entendre in Afrikkans, betraying the public annoyance).—
Abbey Hudetz,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Apr. 2026
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But the dense plotting, frenetic pace, and skilled cast go a long way toward alleviating the annoyance for those who notice it.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irritant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritant. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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