as in annoys
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of itches
The mom of two—Larkin also has a 5-year-old daughter with husband Bill—told Newsweek that Elle often itches her neck due to severe ezcema and other environmental allergies such as dust.
—
Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025
But Lux itches to show its work.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025
But Lux itches to show its work.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for itches
Verb
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One of its two young sibling protagonists, Amber (Bianca Belle), channels her feelings about the recent death of her mother into drawings of creatures born out of her troubled imagination, some of whom enact violence against the classmate who annoys her.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
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There's just one thing about Claire Danes that annoys Matthew Rhys.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
22 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Somehow, this irritates Helen even more.—
Sadia Shepard,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
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In other words, alcohol disrupts hydration, irritates the gut, inflames blood vessels, messes with sleep, and forces your liver into metabolic overdrive.—
Ciara Lucas,
SELF,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Feeney’s book features multiple narrators, but relativity is not an idea the series bothers to develop.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
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Now, wages have grown, but inflation bothers people.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Check the head and base and foot of the bed, peeling back the top sheet to look for evidence on mattress covers, box springs, dust ruffles, and the headboard—and most importantly, the mattress seams and piping because bed bugs like to hide in cracks and crevices.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
25 Dec. 2025
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Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Nathan tells him to get in the water in order to fix the hooks and ropes, but Max stands on the Jet Ski instead, which aggravates the bosun.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Itches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/itches. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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