1
as in to annoy
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
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Recent Examples of irritate
Many people have come out of the woodwork and jumped on the bandwagon, which irritated me.
—
Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
The very presence of those foods and liquids jostling around can irritate your abdominal lining enough to bring on a side stitch, Carter explains.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 26 Mar. 2026
The fact that the candidates excluded from the USC debate couldn’t find a way to participate in Tuesday evening’s alternative forum irritated some people involved in the planning, however.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
However, Schylling disputed the study, saying its ingredients are not harmful and would not irritate skin at room temperature, according to CR.
—Samantha Neely, Freep.com, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irritate
Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
The very presence of those foods and liquids jostling around can irritate your abdominal lining enough to bring on a side stitch, Carter explains.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 26 Mar. 2026
The fact that the candidates excluded from the USC debate couldn’t find a way to participate in Tuesday evening’s alternative forum irritated some people involved in the planning, however.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
However, Schylling disputed the study, saying its ingredients are not harmful and would not irritate skin at room temperature, according to CR.
—Samantha Neely, Freep.com, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irritate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritate
Verb
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The platform’s staff has seemed minorly annoyed at the shots Denk and others at Beehiiv have taken as Substack has moved from disruptor to incumbent.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
30 Mar. 2026
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One who grew up respectful but annoyed by the success the league previously had in Seattle.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Avoid using abrasive tools, which can scratch the door’s surface and prevent a streak-free finish.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
5 Apr. 2026
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Schmitt scratched, Encarnacion gets first start First baseman Casey Schmitt was scratched from Friday’s starting lineup due to lower back tightness.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The 6-foot-2 Strong — AP’s Player of the Year — was bothered by South Carolina’s interior size, with several of her inside shots rattling in and out.—
David Brandt,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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But he isn’t bothered by the fact that the cost has jumped by more than $1 a gallon over the past month or so.—
Tami Luhby,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There are, naturally, layers of deception to scrape away first.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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Avery Sullivan, with whom Morris also plays in the country-rock band Fust, keeps loose time on drums, tapping the snare like someone setting down coffee mugs while Libby Rodenbough scrapes out a few melody lines on her fiddle and colors empty spaces with some ghostly tremolo.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Chandler Zavala has been fighting the injury bug his whole career.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
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The cost of it, however, is boots and bug repellent.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Others chafed at pre-empting local rules.—
Mark Dee
March 28,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Mar. 2026
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Even in the sticky days of summer, the supple leather uppers never rub the wrong way or cause your feet to sweat or chafe.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Eduiot site includes photographs and audiovisual material, and features the accounts of parents, siblings, cousins, nephews and nieces of Jews persecuted and disappeared under the dictatorship.—
Juan Melamed,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
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The helpless and much persecuted turtles were cooked in a rich, creamy soup with chunks of meat.—
James Stout,
Outside,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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My ila facial was pure joy—no painful extraction or aggravating scrubs here.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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The injury was first reported by the British tabloid, The Sun, which claimed that Turner had aggravated a pre-existing back injury.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irritate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritate. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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