1
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
constant chatter irritated the student, who was trying to concentrate on a hard assignment
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Recent Examples of irritate
Fragrance Many makeup removers are scented to one degree or another, but scented products can irritate sensitive skin or bother those who have sensitivities to fragrance.
—
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
What others think sometimes irritates but mostly amuses us.
—Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 6 May 2025
This shaver is painless and designed to be used without irritating the skin.
—Nora Colomer
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
Use your hands: Since washcloths and sponges can irritate the skin, apply cleansers using your fingers, moving then over the skin in a circular motion.
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for irritate
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
What others think sometimes irritates but mostly amuses us.
—Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 6 May 2025
This shaver is painless and designed to be used without irritating the skin.
—Nora Colomer
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
Use your hands: Since washcloths and sponges can irritate the skin, apply cleansers using your fingers, moving then over the skin in a circular motion.
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for irritate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritate
Verb
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Orlando Sentinel Residents also allege the neighbor erected phallic objects on a fence at his home to annoy them.—
Stephen Hudak,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2025
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Cahill also spoke about how the political nature of the case annoyed him, as politicians spoke out about Floyd's death, and some called for system-wide change.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
25 May 2025
Verb
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First-timers typically make a beeline for Madrid and Barcelona, but even then, most people will only scratch the surface of these cities and their surroundings.—
Siobhan Reid,
Vogue,
28 May 2025
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But the car industry has not scratched the surface of these vehicles' potential.—
Emily Forlini,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2025
Verb
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After years of ‘losing culture,’ can the new-look Chicago Bears turn things around on defense? Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard didn’t bother mincing words.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
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The walk, only his second this month, bothered him.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
26 May 2025
Verb
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The links with current Saudi champions Al Hilal are genuine, and that should be the real concern for everyone at Old Trafford — not whether Fernandes is overrated, underrated or secretly wants to scrape his studs down Keane’s shins.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
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Video footage on social media shows the ship — flying a huge Mexican flag — scraping the underside and its masts collapsing onto the deck.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
18 May 2025
Verb
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But this is not the case in Season 2, and it’s been bugging me to no end.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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In less than a minute, Judge posed both the problem and the solution that will bug the Yankees for as long as Soto is doing his shuffle.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Sturdy posts at the front of the shoes connect to a flip-flop style design that won’t irritate or chafe your skin, while the supportive insoles are far better-suited for days spent on your feet than flimsy, cheaper sandals.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2025
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Youssef makes Jeff bro-ish enough to hang with this crowd but outsider enough to chafe at its hubris.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
23 May 2025
Verb
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Some of the journalists who were terminated on Thursday were from countries with repressive governments that persecute journalists for independent reporting, Mr. Abramowitz said in the email to employees on Thursday.—
Minho Kim,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
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According to tradition, Peter traveled to Rome to spread the Christian message and was martyred there during the reign of the Emperor Nero, around 64 A.D., as Christians were being persecuted.—
Vanessa Gera,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2025
Verb
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Shannon Smith, 48, was sentenced to 8.5 years behind bars after pleading guilty to one count of taking the identity of another and four counts of aggravated taking the identity of another, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said in a May 22 news release.—
Sara Schilling,
Sacbee.com,
22 May 2025
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But markets are betting that making the 2017 tax cuts permanent as well as eliminating taxes on tips and overtime, with only partial revenue offsets, will aggravate the fiscal problems.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irritate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritate. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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