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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of irritating
Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026
The power plant doesn’t just sound irritating, nearby homeowners say.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
Ethan Stone, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
Wear gloves to avoid irritating your skin.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irritating
Adjective
The gentle cream is designed for daily use and is fragrance-free and non-irritating.
—Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026
The power plant doesn’t just sound irritating, nearby homeowners say.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
Since many pregnant and postpartum women either struggle with or are recovering from a weak immune system, even germs from sources as innocuous as a bidet can prove irritating.
—Ethan Stone, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
Wear gloves to avoid irritating your skin.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irritating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritating
Adjective
-
Plenty of would-be heroes pass through the inn on their way to save the world, and Nell is responsible for keeping the place running, serving food, and making sure all those annoying questers don’t cause too much chaos.—
Caroline Carlson,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
As most Angelenos know, anti-aging efforts come in many annoying forms.—
Rebecca Leib,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The lawyers also argue that Combs' sentence was too harsh, saying the trial judge wrongly based it in part on a conclusion that the crimes involved fraud and coercion and that Combs was a leader or organizer of criminal activity.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Focused on a 2021 expedition in which Icelandic climber John Snorri Sigurjónsson and the Pakistani father-and-son team Ali and Sajid Sadpara attempt to become the first to summit K2 in winter, when conditions are at their harshest.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But that doesn’t excuse failing to execute on the ABCs of lobbying — such as not bothering even to show up at a hearing on a policy the mayor considers an urgent priority.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
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Both players scored in double figures on Sunday, but Santos was ruled out against the Kings because of a pelvis injury that has been bothering him for weeks.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Use gentle solutions like dish soap, baking soda, or vinegar to clean without scratching surfaces or leaving streaks.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The quest to find out why some Braves were celebrating hits by scratching their heads proved more arduous than expected.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The delay has been frustrating, given that a large office-retail building in the complex is ready to open, but the facility can’t receive a certificate of occupancy from the city of Lee’s Summit until the intersection work is finished, Brown said.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2026
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Now, as a 30-something man who long since had the creativity sapped out of him by life, this was mildly frustrating at first.—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
With climate change causing storms to be stronger and rougher than in the past, communities up and down the California coast are facing a similar challenge, as other aging wooden piers suffer damage, leaving cities facing large bills while the public clamors to keep the popular attractions open.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Using your fingers and the outside edges of your palms, press in any rough spots or remaining dry bits of dough.—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
So, all the things people were yelling about with Southwest weren’t bugging me.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2026
-
But so much of my journalism has been about something that’s bugging me.—
Jack Denton,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Angry Mama Microwave Steam Cleaner is thoughtfully designed to effortlessly remove stubborn messes without scrubbing or scraping for hours on end.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Tore it apart before scraping it and sure enough, tucked into a corner, covered with lint, was an old gold ring.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irritating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritating. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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