IRRITATES Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

irritates

verb

present tense third-person singular of irritate

as in annoys

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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as in scratches

to make sore by continued rubbing new shoes usually irritate my feet

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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 irritates Anyone who has sat through a mandatory team-building exercise knows the difference between a ritual that binds and a program that irritates. — Julia Dhar, Time, 11 July 2026 If someone is in your life long enough, they’re bound to do something that irritates you—and you’re bound to do something that irritates them. — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026 Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing. — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 16 May 2026 The impish half-smile that irritates opponents eventually returns to his face, though. — Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026 Daisy is caught so off guard that her first reaction is to laugh, which irritates Ben. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026 Castor Oil Castor oil irritates the digestive system of the moles and makes the soil less inviting to them. — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 7 Mar. 2026 Weed pollen typically irritates people in the late summer and early fall. — Seth Jacobson, wickedlocal.com, 5 Mar. 2026 If something irritates you, the Aries moon encourages you to speak up. — Usa Today, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritates

Verb

Another potential ingredient in whether a company annoys customers is its business model.

— Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 7 July 2026
That's Clearly Too Heavy This isn't just something that annoys flight attendants, but a potentially hazardous task for crew members.

— Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026

Definition of annoys

Verb

Some scratches early in this past season led to reports of Mintyukov requesting a trade, but the smooth-skating blueliner improved his play and settled in on Anaheim’s second defense pairing.

— Eric Stephens, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Food particles and microorganisms can become trapped in the nicks, grooves, and scratches on the board.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 28 June 2026

Definition of scratches

Verb

If that bothers you, then a significant projection for Bo Nix’s season will make your skin crawl.

— Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 July 2026
What bothers me more is when passengers take up valuable overhead bin space with personal items like backpacks and jackets before everyone has finished boarding.

— Skyli Alvarez, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 July 2026

Definition of bothers

Verb

The debut novel from this English professor and pioneering feminist follows Mira, a suburban homemaker who chafes against patriarchal society, divorces her husband, enrolls in graduate school, and becomes an outspoken advocate for women’s rights.

— Michael Schaub, Oc Register, 25 June 2026
This new life chafes my husband more than me.

— Zinzi Clemmons, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026

Definition of chafes

Verb

China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.

— Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025

Definition of persecutes

Verb

Smullen’s campaign launched an anti-Constantino website that excoriates him for, among many other things, his past registration as a Democrat.

— Michael Hill, Fortune, 12 June 2026
Woodcutters sets forth the musings of a narrator sitting in an armchair at a dinner party who excoriates the literary awards establishments of his native land (and by extension all lands that are host to a robust bourgeoisie).

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026

Definition of excoriates

Verb

Her older brother, 9-year-old Charlie, climbs across the nearby jungle gym at a Prairie Village playground as her younger brother, 3-year-old Will, scrapes a stick through the mulch.

— Anna Spoerre, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026
Every texture is an independent agent with its own membrane in the mix; percussion rubs and scrapes against your attention, while mutating synth patches burble in the periphery.

— H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 16 June 2026

Definition of scrapes

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“Irritates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritates. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of irritates

verb

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