Synonym Chooser

How is the word irritate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of irritate are exasperate, nettle, peeve, provoke, and rile. While all these words 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

When would exasperate be a good substitute for irritate?

The meanings of exasperate and irritate largely overlap; however, exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.

his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions

When is nettle a more appropriate choice than irritate?

The words nettle and irritate can be used in similar contexts, but nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.

your pompous attitude nettled several people

When might peeve be a better fit than irritate?

While the synonyms peeve and irritate are close in meaning, peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.

a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie

When could provoke be used to replace irritate?

The words provoke and irritate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.

remarks made solely to provoke her

When can rile be used instead of irritate?

In some situations, the words rile and irritate are roughly equivalent. However, rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.

the new work schedules riled the employees

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 irritate Little things, like the close-ups of Moss’s face with her little smirk, used so frequently as to lose all meaning, began to irritate me. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025 Your skin is already angry, so do your best to avoid products that might irritate it further, including harsh soaps. Alisa Hrustic, SELF, 9 Apr. 2025 When handled, these treefrogs secrete a sticky toxin as a defense, which can be irritating to mucous membranes of people or pets who make contact with them. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2025 The second walk irritated the pitcher, as home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman’s ball four call on a 3-2 count appeared incorrect. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for irritate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritate
Verb
  • Seiders, 44, is charged with felony child pornography possession, misdemeanor annoying a child under 18, concealing a camera with intent to invade privacy and attempting to conceal a camera.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
  • What annoyed me was good old-fashioned stupid gameplay.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But the contradiction was apparent for anyone willing to scratch the surface: the three public suspensions and one defection from the Pentagon’s top ranks were all, until very recently, Hegseth loyalists.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 22 Apr. 2025
  • The surface of a cat tree is usually covered in a textured, carpet-like material for scratching.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow was popular enough that fans wanted a solo story, but the studio didn't bother to make it until her character was already dead in the major timeline, then skipped the theatrical release, which Johansson sued them about.
    Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The Mavericks defeated the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night in Sacramento, 120-106; the Mavs led by more than 20 points in the first half, and the Kings never bothered to muster much of a run to make this interesting.
    Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • If another caterpillar wanders into their territory, these tiny critters start furiously drumming their heads, shaking their bodies and scraping their butts against the leaf—a series of complex vibratory behaviors to signal that their leaf tip is off-limits.
    Rohini Subrahmanyam, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Sifting and scraping toxic particles would only further the ongoing coastal erosion, which is its own climate change impact.
    Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Curry is 37 and played Sunday with his right thumb wrapped in athletic tape, nursing an ailment that has bugged him all season.
    Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2025
  • And for me, nothing bugs me more than engaging in social activities to check the box rather than making meaningful connections.
    Time, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Set in the summer of 1969, 14-year-old Evie is chafing against her suburban, upper-middle class upbringing.
    Bailey Seybolt, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • The case out of Washington, D.C., dates back to the administration of President Joe Biden but comes to a verdict as environmental groups chafe at President Donald Trump's efforts to eliminate climate and environmental regulations pushed under Biden.
    Michael Loria, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In a video posted to his Truth Social platform in December 2023, Trump accused the FBI and DOJ of sending undercover spies to churches to persecute people of faith.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The statement concluded with an expression of solidarity with Christians who are persecuted.
    Chloe Breyer, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • American Anglophobia was palpable years after the American Revolution, swelling during the War of 1812, and aggravated again by the Panic of 1819, America’s first major economic crisis.
    Made by History, Time, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Trump is particularly aggravated with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO — the world's biggest military alliance, which comprises 32 countries in Europe and North America.
    Michel Martin, NPR, 28 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Irritate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritate. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

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