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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Light scratches in just the poly can be remedied with a 'restoring' product like Rejuvenate.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
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An elevator pitch barely scratches the surface.—
Gina Riley,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In New York, there’s no worry; no one bothers us.—
Katie Schultz,
Architectural Digest,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Fort Worth bed bugs The B-plot of Episode 7 has Peggy setting up a Little Free Library in her front yard in an effort to build community.—
Jake Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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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
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The awfulness of it scrapes my veins, turning everything orange and raw.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Words may hit all the wrong notes when the moon aggravates Chiron today.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 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 9 Sep. 2025.
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