How to Use irritant in a Sentence

irritant

1 of 2 noun
  • The delay was a minor irritant.
  • Why aren’t there any irritants in the room at Facebook?
    Eric Johnson, Recode, 3 Oct. 2018
  • That response can lead to an allergy to those foods or irritants—one that can last for the rest of the child's life.
    Holly Pevzner, Parents, 8 Sep. 2023
  • Even avoiding irritants such as smoke or strong odors can help ease a cough.
    Syeda Khaula Saad, Verywell Health, 6 Feb. 2024
  • Use your kindness like a balm to soothe away minor irritants.
    Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, 21 Oct. 2019
  • Daffodils exude a sap that might be a skin irritant - take care to avoid contact.
    Author: Adrian Higgins, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Mar. 2020
  • The skin is supposed to keep water in and irritants and allergens out.
    Holly Pevzner, Parents, 8 Sep. 2023
  • Smoke from fires that burn through poison oak and poison ivy may contain traces of irritants from those plants.
    Eva Frederick, Science | AAAS, 14 Feb. 2020
  • The injuries are believed to have been caused due to exposure to the irritants from the fire extinguisher, sources said.
    Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 13 Dec. 2023
  • Fragrance Fragrance is one of the most common skin irritants.
    Melanie Rud, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2023
  • And the signs, too, of some homegrown irritants for Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
    Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Aug. 2023
  • To start with, these attacks were no more than irritants -- most of the rockets fell harmlessly some distance from US forces.
    Tim Lister, CNN, 30 Dec. 2019
  • Over-the-counter saline spray remains a reliable option for most of her patients, which helps wash out irritants in the nose and thins out mucus.
    Noor Adatia, Dallas News, 18 May 2023
  • For almost 40 years, Stern has been a main character in L.A.’s small-theater world, a beacon to many, an irritant to some.
    Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2019
  • The purpose of the skin is to act as a barrier against irritants and chemicals, bacteria, and fungi to get in.
    Nadja Sayej, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023
  • Here are a few of the common culprits that can aggravate symptoms and tips for avoiding skin irritants.
    Karen Pallarito, Health, 18 Dec. 2023
  • This ensures that your clothes come out clean and fresh, without any harsh chemicals or irritants.
    Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2023
  • Your mucus will be too thick to clear out irritants if you are dehydrated.
    Sarah Bradley, Health, 31 Aug. 2023
  • This is an irritant, and some oil officials could get behind a movement like this, but not enough to make a difference.
    Gary Richards, The Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2019
  • Allergies may be due to seasonal changes in pollen or be caused by other irritants such as pets, dust, or mold.
    Nicole Harris, Parents, 25 Aug. 2023
  • Children's skin is more prone to react to allergens and irritants.
    Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2023
  • The filtration system is completely sealed so irritants are pulled in and aren't released back into the air.
    Megan Boettcher, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Feb. 2024
  • Mr Trump sees Ukraine at best as an irritant that frustrates his relationship with Mr Putin.
    The Economist, 26 Sep. 2019
  • Residents said the irritant makes eyes water and chests tighten.
    Joe Mozingo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 June 2019
  • Smoke is one of the worst irritants, and the best air purifiers for smoke will take all of the air in your space and remove impurities and odors, leaving only clean air behind.
    Alida Nugent, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 2023
  • And then there’s congestion that comes from irritants in the environment [such as perfume or smoke].
    Marla Broadfoot, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023
  • Greene's interest in a seat on the select committee is likely to create a new irritant for the lawmakers who hope to get to the bottom of the attack on the US Capitol.
    Jim Acosta and Alexander Hunter, CNN, 26 June 2021
  • Lip plumpers work by holding onto the moisture in the skin's surface via hyaluronic acid and/or mild irritants that cause localized swelling.
    Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 25 May 2023
  • Tests for flammable and toxic irritants came back negative.
    Saumya Gupta, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2023
  • Eczema affects the ability of the skin to protect against outside irritants and allergens.
    Amanda Gardner, Health, 14 Sep. 2023
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irritant

2 of 2 adjective
  • And his irritant style, while charming in the maize and blue, is one of his calling cards now in the NBA.
    Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press, 29 Dec. 2022
  • The Supreme Court has long been an irritant to Israel’s right wing.
    Meryl Kornfield, Anchorage Daily News, 25 July 2023
  • The most common irritant used is called anthralin.7 Oral Steroids.
    Heather L. Brannon, Md, Verywell Health, 27 Jan. 2024
  • The sight of the school is a daily irritant for Mr. Ryburn and others in Angelus.
    Michael M. Phillips, WSJ, 10 June 2021
  • Your body reacts to that irritant by trying to wash it away with tears and a runny nose.
    Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2021
  • The videos depicted Nichols being punched, struck with a baton, kicked in the face, and sprayed with an irritant.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 28 Jan. 2023
  • Dust proved to be a major irritant to astronauts on the moon.
    Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 3 Sep. 2021
  • These pearls form when some irritant, in this case a piece of mussel shell, gets inside the oyster.
    The Indianapolis Star, 5 Sep. 2023
  • Nord Stream 2 has been the biggest U.S.-German irritant in recent years.
    Bojan Pancevski, WSJ, 14 July 2021
  • The policy had been an irritant to right-wing politicians in Italy for decades.
    Star Tribune, 28 Apr. 2021
  • The Celtics’ star/my own personal irritant Jaylen Brown has been rocking Birks for years now.
    Dave Schilling, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2023
  • Schaffer was one of the first people to be hit in the face with a chemical irritant sprayed by officers.
    Johnny Magdaleno, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Apr. 2021
  • The disease is a skin irritant that can appear as white fuzz on their muzzle and wings, Smith-Castro said.
    Dallas News, 23 Nov. 2022
  • Nacre, also known as mother-of-pearl, then forms a layer around the irritant to protect the mollusk.
    Mythili Devarakonda, USA TODAY, 25 Dec. 2022
  • The videos depicted Nichols being punched, struck with a baton, appearing to be kicked in the face, and sprayed with an irritant.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 29 Jan. 2023
  • Most of the men at the riot were clad in tactical gear, armed with chemical irritant sprays and waving Trump flags.
    John Freivalds, Star Tribune, 12 July 2021
  • These are the nerve cells that respond to painful stimuli like a pinch, a pinprick, a hot stove or a chemical irritant such as a chili pepper.
    Karen Weintraub, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2022
  • No doubt the small steps and mistakes are an irritant that must be addressed before nationals, but for now the Utes deserve to enjoy the big win.
    The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 Apr. 2021
  • An athletic if not polished 24-year-old forward/center who has been traded and waived three times apiece and who can be an irritant on the court.
    Dallas News, 16 Jan. 2022
  • The officers, who had riot shields, batons and what appeared to be an irritant spray, detained some marchers.
    Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 2 Apr. 2022
  • Borgen said the men punched him, hit him with crutches and sprayed an irritant in his face, leaving him with bruises, a concussion and injuries to his skin and eyes.
    Washington Post, 23 May 2021
  • In the same part of downtown and about the same time, Christopher Smith, 39, sprayed four or five officers with a chemical irritant, according to felony charges.
    Paul Walsh, Star Tribune, 19 May 2021
  • Sexton, who can be an irritant because of his relentless style and won’t-back-down attitude, scored 23 of his game-high 36 points in the second half.
    Chris Fedor, cleveland, 22 Mar. 2021
  • But as the conflict has dragged on over the past 12 months, the divide has grown and now threatens to become a principal irritant in U.S.-China ties that were already on the rocks for other reasons.
    Matthew Lee, ajc, 2 Mar. 2023
  • All that's needed is a pump or two of this dual brightening serum and anti-irritant complex per day to improve the look of dark spots, age spots, and acne scars.
    Harper's Bazaar Staff, Harper's BAZAAR, 30 Nov. 2022
  • Hodges said rioters bashed his head, kicked him in the chest, and sprayed him with a chemical irritant during the riot, among other assaults.
    Sarah Elbeshbishi, USA TODAY, 27 July 2021
  • Depending on your perspective, that may be a salve or an irritant.
    Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 July 2022
  • Some research suggests about 20% of cases are caused by an allergen and 80% by an irritant.
    Julia Ries, SELF, 7 Feb. 2023
  • Benzoyl peroxide products should be used with caution as it is known to be a skin irritant when exposed to the skin for long periods of time and can bleach the hairline and clothes.
    Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 May 2022
  • As the Cavs chase a playoff spot, the thought of unleashing Okoro as a series irritant is fascinating.
    Chris Fedor, cleveland, 19 Jan. 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'irritant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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