as in headaches
something that is a source of irritation
the whining child was a constant irritant to his long-suffering parents
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Recent Examples of irritants
The June 14 protests were mostly peaceful until protesters and local law enforcement officers clashed in downtown LA, leading to officers deploying chemical irritants and flash bang grenades at civilians.
—
Madeline Armstrong, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025
Have protective goggles or shatter-resistant glasses (for tear gas or irritants).
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 17 Oct. 2025
The plaintiffs alleged in the lawsuit that police used excessive force and violated their constitutional rights by deploying tear gas, chemical irritants, projectiles, grenades and pepper spray.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025
Dirty clothing can also cause or worsen rashes in some people, depending on which skin irritants are lingering in your clothes.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025
These include drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding irritants such as scented soaps and using over-the-counter pain relievers.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025
This soothing hydrogel mask is hypoallergenic, non-toxic, and free of 25 common irritants.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 8 Oct. 2025
Common causes include bright light sensitivity, foreign objects, airborne irritants, inflammation, or injury.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Protests broke out in the city Saturday and armed border patrol agents deployed what appeared to be chemical irritants toward protesters.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2025
Madeline Armstrong, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025
Have protective goggles or shatter-resistant glasses (for tear gas or irritants).
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 17 Oct. 2025
The plaintiffs alleged in the lawsuit that police used excessive force and violated their constitutional rights by deploying tear gas, chemical irritants, projectiles, grenades and pepper spray.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025
Dirty clothing can also cause or worsen rashes in some people, depending on which skin irritants are lingering in your clothes.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025
These include drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding irritants such as scented soaps and using over-the-counter pain relievers.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025
This soothing hydrogel mask is hypoallergenic, non-toxic, and free of 25 common irritants.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 8 Oct. 2025
Common causes include bright light sensitivity, foreign objects, airborne irritants, inflammation, or injury.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Protests broke out in the city Saturday and armed border patrol agents deployed what appeared to be chemical irritants toward protesters.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritants
Noun
-
Side effects may include stomach issues, headaches, and rare kidney problems from contamination.—
Sarah Anzlovar,
Verywell Health,
23 Oct. 2025
-
In the year before his death, Thomas had been struggling with his mental health, as well as daily headaches and memory loss, his parents said at the time.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Decades ago, marshes were considered nuisances, soggy flats to be drained, dried, and made waterproof with liberal coatings of asphalt.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Going forward, Nason thinks Gen Z’s job crisis needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, as their student loans start to accumulate and frustrations bubble.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The mise en abyme of the film is reflected in Fellini’s own frustrations during the preproduction of 8 1/2.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
To eat the nopales, remove the spines (spikes, thorns, or barbs) and use them raw in salads or cooked in soups or tacos.—
Barbie Cervoni,
Verywell Health,
22 Oct. 2025
-
What fantastic fantasies will lure risk-seeking treasure hunters to breach the massive walls of iron thorns surrounding mysterious radioactive caverns buried deep in the deserts?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But that conspiracy tends to manifest in the form of universal contemporary annoyances.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
-
One of my long-standing annoyances with macOS was the lack of control over the menu bar.—
Edward Mendelson,
PC Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Tillery also advises her clients to skip overpacking and go with carry-on luggage to avoid unnecessary baggage fees or inconveniences if there are flight changes.—
Essence,
Essence,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Antibiotics have turned once deadly infections into minor inconveniences.—
NPR,
NPR,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irritants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritants. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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