Synonym Chooser

How is the word irritate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of irritate are exasperate, nettle, peeve, provoke, and rile. While all these words 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

When would exasperate be a good substitute for irritate?

The meanings of exasperate and irritate largely overlap; however, exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.

his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions

When is nettle a more appropriate choice than irritate?

The words nettle and irritate can be used in similar contexts, but nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.

your pompous attitude nettled several people

When might peeve be a better fit than irritate?

While the synonyms peeve and irritate are close in meaning, peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.

a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie

When could provoke be used to replace irritate?

The words provoke and irritate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.

remarks made solely to provoke her

When can rile be used instead of irritate?

In some situations, the words rile and irritate are roughly equivalent. However, rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.

the new work schedules riled the employees

Examples of irritate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Charania’s reporting style — which involves a torrent of texts and calls to NBA power players throughout the day — can sometimes irritate readers and even his sources. Alex Sherman, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2024 Just be mindful of its high concentration, which can irritate skin. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 9 Oct. 2024 The suppository may also irritate the area where it is inserted. Ashley Wong, Health, 17 Oct. 2024 This build-up provides an ideal breeding ground for microorganisms, such as the aforementioned Malassezia yeast, which doesn’t only promote dandruff, but also by-products that can irritate the scalp and cause itching. Philipp Wehsack, Vogue, 8 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.

Thesaurus Entries Near irritate

Cite this Entry

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

More from Merriam-Webster on irritate

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