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irritate

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of irritate

1 to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

  • constant chatter irritated the student, who was trying to concentrate on a hard assignment
Synonyms of irritate

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
Words Related to irritate

hassle, heckle

nag

inflame (also enflame), provoke, rouse

badger, bait, bullyrag (also ballyrag), devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease

anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil

agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry

affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage
Phrases Synonymous with irritate

get one's goat, get on one's nerves, get to, rub the wrong way, set one's teeth on edge, stick in one's craw, wear on
Near Antonyms of irritate

appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate

delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy

assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe

2 to make sore by continued rubbing

  • new shoes usually irritate my feet
Synonyms of irritate

abrade, chafe, excoriate, fret, gall
Words Related to irritate

graze, scrape, scratch

burn, inflame (also enflame)

flay, peel, skin

Synonym Discussion of 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

Learn More about irritate

  1. See words that rhyme with irritate Dictionary: Definition of irritate Medical Dictionary: Definition of irritate Spanish Central: Translation of irritate Nglish: Translation of irritate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of irritate for Arabic speakers

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