irritation

noun

ir·​ri·​ta·​tion ˌir-ə-ˈtā-shən 

1

a

: the state of being irritated

b

: something that irritates

c

: the act of irritating

2

: a condition of irritability, soreness, roughness, or inflammation of a bodily part

Synonyms

• aggravation
• aggro [British]
• annoyance
• bother
• botheration
• exasperation
• frustration
• grief
• pip [chiefly British]
• vexation

Examples of irritation in a Sentence

Dad's general irritation at the incessant complaining coming from the back seat of the car.

Recent Examples on the Web

Mild symptoms of bird flu in humans include eye redness and irritation, mild fever, cough and fatigue. —Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2025

Apparently, using the two ingredients in tandem can cause irritation, but that hasn’t been the case for me—in fact, the moisturizer seems to preempt the drying that can sometimes occur with retinol. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 21 Feb. 2025

That worker reported eye irritation, a possible symptom of bird flu, two days before the cat got sick. —Jonel Aleccia, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025

The foundation of good hair care is knowing your hair type and choosing products that nourish and protect the scalp without causing irritation. —Marisa Garshick, Verywell Health, 20 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Rhymes for irritation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

irritation

noun

ir·​ri·​ta·​tion ˌir-ə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the act of irritating : the state of being irritated

2

: irritant entry 2

Medical Definition

irritation

noun

ir·​ri·​ta·​tion ˌir-ə-ˈtā-shən 

1

a

: the act of irritating

b

: something that irritates

c

: the state of being irritated

2

: a condition of irritability, soreness, roughness, or inflammation of a bodily part