irritate

verb

ir·​ri·​tate ˈir-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce irritate (audio)
irritated; irritating

transitive verb

1
: to provoke impatience, anger, or displeasure in : annoy
2
: to induce irritability in or of

intransitive verb

: to cause or induce displeasure or irritation
Choose the Right Synonym for irritate

irritate, exasperate, nettle, provoke, rile, peeve mean to excite a feeling of anger or annoyance.

irritate implies an often gradual arousing of angry feelings that may range from mere impatience to rage.

constant nagging that irritated me greatly

exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.

his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions

nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.

your pompous attitude nettled several people

provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.

remarks made solely to provoke her

rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.

the new work schedules riled the employees

peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.

a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie

Examples of irritate in a Sentence

It's his arrogance that really irritates me. The other passengers were irritated by the child's rudeness. Harsh soaps can irritate the skin.
Recent Examples on the Web Always repeating a question is irritating and starts to suggest that something is amiss. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 Use non-abrasive, gentle facial cleaners, and use your hands instead of washcloths, sponges, or irritating substances. Mark Gurarie, Health, 28 Oct. 2024 Sure, plenty of viewers found Ariel’s anger with the bakery irritating. Abby Monteil, Them, 21 Oct. 2024 This is what irritated him, not what’s going on, hurricanes and all kinds of stuff going on in our country. Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for irritate 

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

Word History

Etymology

Latin irritatus, past participle of irritare

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of irritate was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near irritate

Cite this Entry

“Irritate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irritate. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

irritate

verb
ir·​ri·​tate ˈir-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce irritate (audio)
irritated; irritating
1
: to cause impatience, anger, or displeasure in : annoy
were irritated by the child's rudeness
2
: to make sore or inflamed
harsh soaps can irritate the skin

Medical Definition

irritate

verb
ir·​ri·​tate ˈir-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce irritate (audio)
irritated; irritating

transitive verb

1
: to provoke impatience, anger, or displeasure in
2
: to cause (an organ or tissue) to be irritable : produce irritation in
harsh soaps may irritate the skin
3
: to produce excitation in (as a nerve) : cause (as a muscle) to contract

intransitive verb

: to induce irritation

More from Merriam-Webster on irritate

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