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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Recent Examples of itches
Nothing really itches my brain like a crisp white tee poking out the top of a sweater.
—
Amanda Le, InStyle, 3 Mar. 2026
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
Amanda Le, InStyle, 3 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for itches
Verb
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What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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Think of something that annoys you, connect it to masculinity by adding bro, and proceed as though that bro were a category of person.—
Dan Brooks,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Castor Oil Castor oil irritates the digestive system of the moles and makes the soil less inviting to them.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
7 Mar. 2026
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Weed pollen typically irritates people in the late summer and early fall.—
Seth Jacobson,
wickedlocal.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What really bothers me is when companies pay a lot of money for mediocrity, and that happens all too often.—
Alex Crippen,
CNBC,
14 Mar. 2026
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That notion clearly bothers Schoen and the organization.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Travelers are advised to inspect hotel rooms upon arrival and use precautions like plastic bags or luggage liners to prevent bringing bed bugs home.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Jan. 2026
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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
Verb
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China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
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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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Smoke from wildfires penetrates deep into the lungs and aggravates respiratory disease more than any other type of pollution.—
Becky Upham,
EverydayHealth.com,
4 Mar. 2026
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In the extreme off-chance that Darnold doesn’t play or aggravates the injury, the Seahawks would call upon Drew Lock, who has just three regular season passing attempts on the year.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Itches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/itches. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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