IRRITANT Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

irritant

noun

ˈir-ə-tənt

Definition of irritant

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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of irritant After the suspect released the child, a bystander sprayed him with an irritant to prevent him from possibly attacking anyone else. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026 The crafty 10th-seeded Czech, whose slices and volleys are perfectly suited to Wimbledon’s low-bouncing surface, carries a medicine cabinet’s worth of remedies to prove that the All England Club’s famous lawns can be a real irritant. — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 Exposure to other irritants, such as dust, chemicals and pollution, can also cause it. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026 Willson Contreras, an irritant in more ways than one on Friday, then smoked a two-run double off Cole in the third inning. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for irritant

Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritant

Noun

Around one in 13 people experience recurring morning headaches, research suggests, with women and those between the ages of 45 and 64 more likely to have them.

— Kathleen Felton, Washington Post, 17 July 2026
As body temperature rises and humidity limits the body’s ability to cool itself, mild symptoms such as cramps and headaches can progress to shortness of breath, dizziness, confusion, nausea, and ultimately life-threatening heat stroke.

— Laura Schifter, Time, 17 July 2026

Definition of headache

Noun

These seemingly minor nuisances are becoming a drain on municipal resources and complicating the rollout of robotaxi service.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 July 2026
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, was widely expected to plead guilty to charges of mischief and public nuisance.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026

Definition of nuisance

Noun

Worst of all, these trees have become invasive, crossing with other Callery cultivars to create wild hybrids that produce four-inch-long thorns.

— Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 15 July 2026
And as Jones notes, much of that is due to the actors who’ve thrown themselves into the characters, thorns and all.

— Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026

Definition of thorn

Noun

That is why there has been such a deluge of anger and frustration from the public, even more than from the tournament exits under Southgate.

— Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 19 July 2026
In a Thursday episode of The Ben Shapiro Show, Shapiro hit Vance particularly over his comments on the latter topic and his views on Americans’ frustration with the country’s economic system over the past few decades.

— Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 17 July 2026

Definition of frustration

Noun

Liam Gallagher continued his longtime legacy of talking crap about other artists with his recap of this year’s World Cup halftime show, tweeting out various annoyances that plagued him.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 20 July 2026
In recent days, though, broadcasters have predicted the spectacle will cause the regular half-time break to be extended, much to the annoyance of soccer purists.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 July 2026

Definition of annoyance

Browse Nearby Words

irritableness

irritant

irritants

See all Nearby Words

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Style

“Irritant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritant. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of irritant

noun

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