1
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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Recent Examples of irritates
During his appearance on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast alongside his The Roses costar Olivia Colman, the 49-year-old actor opened up about what irritates his family members.
—
Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The news irritates Lord Lovat, knowing that if the MacKenzie brothers thought Ellen had run off with Malcom Grant, and Dougal (Sam Retford) was dumb enough to beat Malcom as a result, there has to be a moral lapse in judgment somewhere.
—Lincee Ray Published, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
That gas irritates the nose and lungs, which makes those parts of the body work harder.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2025
Harry replies stupidly, which irritates Bri.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
Ethylene oxide can cause cancer and irritates the nervous and respiratory systems.
—Jenni Shearston, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025
Also, the Cane Toad emits a toxin that irritates skin and eyes.
—Alan Clemons, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025
Contact dermatitis occurs when your skin is exposed to a substance that irritates it or prompts an allergic reaction, causing an itchy, red rash.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025
Rising temperatures also accelerate the production of ground-level ozone, a harmful gas that irritates airways and can trigger asthma attacks.
—Bill Frist, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
The news irritates Lord Lovat, knowing that if the MacKenzie brothers thought Ellen had run off with Malcom Grant, and Dougal (Sam Retford) was dumb enough to beat Malcom as a result, there has to be a moral lapse in judgment somewhere.
—Lincee Ray Published, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
That gas irritates the nose and lungs, which makes those parts of the body work harder.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2025
Harry replies stupidly, which irritates Bri.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
Ethylene oxide can cause cancer and irritates the nervous and respiratory systems.
—Jenni Shearston, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025
Also, the Cane Toad emits a toxin that irritates skin and eyes.
—Alan Clemons, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025
Contact dermatitis occurs when your skin is exposed to a substance that irritates it or prompts an allergic reaction, causing an itchy, red rash.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025
Rising temperatures also accelerate the production of ground-level ozone, a harmful gas that irritates airways and can trigger asthma attacks.
—Bill Frist, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritates
Verb
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Naturally, this annoys Alex to no end.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
17 Sep. 2025
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This annoys his wife, who hankers after Bingley (sight unseen) as a future son-in-law.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Prone to thermal shock and scratches easily.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
26 Sep. 2025
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Fingerprints, dust, and scratches torpedoed early designs that envisioned users removing the discs from sleeves as casually as record albums; instead, the final version kept the discs encased in a plastic shell that was then inserted into the player.—
Allison Marsh,
IEEE Spectrum,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Why ban books, Postman asked, if no one bothers to read them?—
Time,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
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What bothers her most is how the refusal seemed to change her brother’s behavior.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Zwick is such a conventional filmmaker that DiCaprio chafes trying to break out of the Reluctant Hero straitjacket Zwick puts him in.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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At the end of the 19th century, Phylloxera bugs infected vineyards across Europe but a solution was found, and viticulture adapted and continued.—
Miguel A. Torres,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
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The singer admitted that he bugs Brown and his son for constant updates on the baby girl.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The product scrapes the insect, removing oils and fats from the outside of the insect's body.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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The spiral layer also provides a deeper exfoliation that scrapes off dead cells, resulting in smoother, silkier skin.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Money could be at the heart of the power struggle when Mars aggravates Pluto.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
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The minuscule particles can lead to breathing problems like bronchitis and cause inflammation that aggravates diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irritates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritates. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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