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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Reese’s fans should go straight for the Peanut Butter Cup flavor, which scratches that candy bar itch without the sugar crash.—
Emily Farris,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 Oct. 2025
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How to get tickets For shoppers like Agresta, whether the needle ever scratches the grooves is beside the point.—
Heather Bushman,
IndyStar,
1 Oct. 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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Daily Stride Comfort No-show Socks There is nothing that bugs me more than no-show socks that curl up underneath your foot minutes into wearing them.—
Melony Forcier,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Oct. 2025
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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
Verb
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Data from Revelio Labs, which scrapes professional networking sites like LinkedIn, show a gain of 60,000 jobs last month, mostly in healthcare and education.—
Danny Bakst,
Fortune,
5 Oct. 2025
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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
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 16 Oct. 2025.
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