itch 1 of 2

noun

Definition of itchnext
1
as in desire
sexual appetite had chaperones at the prom to discourage kids with an adolescent itch

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2
as in craving
a strong wish for something has an itch to travel to far-off and exciting places

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3
as in lust
intense sexual desire sailors on shore leave looking to satisfy the itch

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itch

2 of 2

verb

ˈich How to pronounce itch (audio)
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts don't let her snide put-downs and wisecracks itch you—just ignore her

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of itch
Noun
Some work really well, while some smell weird, spoil quickly, and even make my sensitive skin itch. — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 4 July 2026 What fights an itch depends on its cause and there's a need for better treatments. — ABC News, 27 June 2026
Verb
The disorder caused bile to build up in her liver, causing relentless itching with little relief. — David Begnaud, CBS News, 22 June 2026 Your stock portfolio is booming and there’s a sports car–sized hole in your garage itching to get filled. — Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for itch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for itch
  1. desire
  2. craving
  3. lust
  4. annoy
  5. passion
  6. urge
  7. bug
  8. thirst
Noun
  • Cary, torn between his own desires and others’ expectations, can’t seem to determine where his loyalties lie.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • Unrequited yearning, alcoholism, and suppressed desires abound in the 80-minute one-act play, which won Escola a Tony Award.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026
Definition of desire
Noun
  • Guests can also satisfy their sushi cravings at Miso Phat, located beside Kihei Caffe.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
  • From gorgeous cakes to fruity popsicles, these blueberry dessert recipes will satisfy your sweet cravings.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
Definition of craving
Noun
  • The dialectically deft characters in his movies aren’t talking heads but talking bodies, elaborating a world of cultural and rhetorical elegance from the sublimation of lust and the dream of love.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
  • More important to Bernstein is what that lust reveals about her characters’ deepest needs, specifically how their need to care and be cared for can be as easily perverted as any other form of desire.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 9 July 2026
Definition of lust
Verb
  • To make matters worse, the team also polled people on what behaviors annoy them most about other beachgoers.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2026
  • Of course, this would depend on whether the managers choose to pick their strongest teams in what for some is a meaningless, even annoying extra fixture, for squads who just want to go home.
    — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of annoy
Noun
  • For those truly struggling with the emotional toll of the game, consider taking a page from Argentina, a country whose love of soccer is perhaps only rivaled by its passion for psychoanalysis.
    — Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • Others demonstrate a star’s deep passion for agriculture or oenology.
    — Emily Saladino, Washington Post, 17 July 2026
Definition of passion
Noun
  • But for whatever reason, SNL didn’t inspire the urge to vote that Hacks or Shrinking or Widow’s Bay did.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • Protein is more satiating than carbohydrates alone and may reduce the urge to snack before lunch.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026
Definition of urge
Verb
  • Instead, as Laura bugs her sister long enough about just forgiving her already, Mary explodes.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026
  • The group alleged that as well as hacking their phones, journalists from the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday tapped landlines and bugged houses and cars.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 7 July 2026
Definition of bug
Noun
  • Scattered on the dunes, the surviving population of Gaza was reduced to bare existence, subject to unrelenting hunger and thirst under the ever-present hum of killer drones and bomber jets.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • Stay hydrated in the heat Summer heat raises the body’s fluid needs, and thirst is often mistaken for hunger.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 14, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of thirst

Phrases Containing itch

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Cite this Entry

“Itch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/itch. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on itch

Nglish: Translation of itch for Spanish Speakers

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