irritate

verb

ir·​ri·​tate ˈir-ə-ˌtāt 

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

Synonyms

• aggravate
• annoy
• bother
• bug
• burn (up)
• chafe
• eat
• exasperate
• frost
• gall
• get
• grate
• gripe
• hack (off)
• irk
• itch
• nark [British]
• nettle
• peeve
• persecute
• pique
• put out
• rasp
• rile
• ruffle
• spite
• vex

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

The gel consistency also layered well with other products and didn’t irritate our sensitive skin. —Lacey Muinos, Health, 25 Apr. 2024

But his policies have irritated some blue-collar union members, many of whom voted for Mr. Trump in the last election. —Michael D. Shear, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024

Perfumes Most perfumes, colognes, and body sprays contain alcohol, and alcohol can dry and irritate your skin. —Cathy Wong, Verywell Health, 12 Apr. 2024

Ozone, also known as smog, irritates lungs with extensive exposure. —The Arizona Republic, 25 Apr. 2024

Anyway, hovering over a busy eater with a wipe at the ready is irritating for parent and child alike. —Olaf Blecker, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024

When applied topically, breast milk may ease irritating skin conditions, some data show. —Katie Camero, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024

Also, natural supplements like turmeric, magnesium, and omega fatty acids work systemically to reduce inflammatory chemicals irritating nerve endings. —Hilary Tetenbaum, Detroit Free Press, 8 Apr. 2024

However, people can have allergic reactions to many ingredients, further irritating the mouth area. —Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin irritatus, past participle of irritare

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

irritate

verb

ir·​ri·​tate ˈir-ə-ˌtāt 

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 

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