1
as in annoying
causing annoyance
his particularly irritating habit of leaving his dirty clothes on the floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bothering
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of irritating
Lauren Taylor, Southern Living, 31 Mar. 2026
In both Dream Scenario and The Drama, Borgli sides with the maligned, framing those who cast judgment as shrewish and needling (exemplified in The Drama with a deliciously irritating performance from Alana Haim).
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2026
Sure, there are worse problems to have in life, but there’s no denying that fruit flies are irritating.
—Christine Fiorentino, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irritating
Adjective
The hypoallergenic face serum is free from potentially irritating ingredients, such as parabens and synthetic fragrances, too.
—Lauren Taylor, Southern Living, 31 Mar. 2026
In both Dream Scenario and The Drama, Borgli sides with the maligned, framing those who cast judgment as shrewish and needling (exemplified in The Drama with a deliciously irritating performance from Alana Haim).
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
Sargassum is a beneficial marine resource, but can be irritating to the skin for beachgoers.
—Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2026
Sure, there are worse problems to have in life, but there’s no denying that fruit flies are irritating.
—Christine Fiorentino, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irritating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritating
Adjective
-
At the same time, workplace politics could feel extra stressful and annoying, especially if someone becomes threatened by your confidence.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
-
The predatory add-ons were annoying.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
The scheme has been so successful, law enforcement has created a joint FBI-National Security Division task force to disrupt the operations and have dealt a series of harsh prison terms to American accomplices who have willingly aided the North Koreans.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
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To fully embody her OnlyFans persona, an earthside alien named The Hungry Ghost, who offers mild nudity and harsh criticism of her willing subscribers’ genitalia.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Tell him that his approach to the trip is bothering you.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
-
Try taking 10 to 15 minutes each day to write out what's bothering you.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
More than two months into the Iran war, many analysts are still scratching their heads that wartime leaders in Washington did not plan for an Iranian shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
-
The two interconnected frame pieces then slid into each other, with handy round rubber stickers on the legs to keep the steel from scratching the floor.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
At a time when air travel can often feel routine if not outright frustrating, inaugural flights can be reminiscent of an era where every trip was more of a special event.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
10 May 2026
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Meanwhile, Madrid’s two Englishmen were having frustrating evenings.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
In a region of rough roads, Chispa is among the roughest.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
That is often billed as a finishing school for footballing talent, but graduates inevitably remain rough around the edges.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Although pest control companies offer lethal solutions such as carpenter bee traps or chemical treatments, the best way to keep carpenter bees from bugging you is using stained, sealed, varnished or treated wood in building projects.—
Sarah Linn
April 24,
Sacbee.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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So, all the things people were yelling about with Southwest weren’t bugging me.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Stir or whisk in the dry ingredients, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure no dry streaks of flour remain.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
8 May 2026
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The process of scraping food, touching the sink and other surfaces will leave your hands needing a proper wash as well.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irritating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritating. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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