1
as in annoying
causing annoyance
his particularly irritating habit of leaving his dirty clothes on the floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bothering
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of irritating
Rory Doherty, Vulture, 24 Jan. 2025
Most irritating are the groan-worthy winks to the audience.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 25 Dec. 2024
Sarah Han, Allure, 24 Dec. 2024
A lot of anti-aging skincare contains ingredients like retinol that can be drying and irritating, but Cetaphil has a possible solution.
—Lauren Taylor, Southern Living, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for irritating
Adjective
Blakely’s performance is indicative of The Private Life’s problems — the attempt to pastiche and complexify the popular understanding of this literary relationship ends up re-creating its most irritating qualities.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 24 Jan. 2025
Most irritating are the groan-worthy winks to the audience.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 25 Dec. 2024
Verb
This waterproof version of the brand's best-selling, clump-free formula can withstand heat, humidity, and any other moisture that may come your way without irritating sensitive eyes.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 24 Dec. 2024
A lot of anti-aging skincare contains ingredients like retinol that can be drying and irritating, but Cetaphil has a possible solution.
—Lauren Taylor, Southern Living, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for irritating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritating
Adjective
-
For one, Barber and Sweetin co-signed one fan’s take describing the youngest Tanner sibling, Michelle (played by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) as increasingly annoying and borderline spoiled as the series went on.—
John Russell,
People.com,
21 Feb. 2025
-
This is occasionally annoying (or more than occasionally).—
Jay Nordlinger,
National Review,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The delays follow the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing a warning over harsh weather for residents of Huntersville and Gastonia in North Carolina, which is also affecting the Charlotte Douglas Airport.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
16 Feb. 2025
-
The protest was not politically motivated, but demonstrations in the country can sometimes lead to political unrest under the harsh regime.—
Brie Stimson,
Fox News,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Jan. 2025
-
The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Similar to a sheet pan, whole meals can be built in a Dutch oven, scratching that same itch for convenience and less clean up.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
23 Dec. 2024
-
But that’s just scratching the surface – addressing only the symptoms of the underlying challenges and only addressing them at the end of the SDLC process.—
Jeremy Vaughan,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
What’s especially frustrating to people involved in ferret conservation is that funding and staff resources were already limited heading into 2025.—
Benji Jones,
Vox,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Most welcomed this move, even if the timing was frustrating.—
Louis Staples,
Rolling Stone,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Known for his rough and tumble roles, the two-time Oscar winner died Feb. 26, 2025.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
27 Feb. 2025
-
The Trump administration has expressed interest in other minerals like lithium, graphite, and titanium, but these are based on rough mineral estimates.—
Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Helped by the transaxle layout, the massive power gains, and sublime styling inside and out, the Vantage also requires less of the sacrifices dictated by low-slung mid-engine supercars that demand constant vigilance to avoid scraping on speed bumps, rough canyon roads, or driveways.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes,
29 Dec. 2024
-
The scraping sensations shouldn't be painful but may feel slightly uncomfortable.—
Carley Millhone,
Health,
27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Warning: The following story elements, including photos and video, may be disturbing to some readers.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
-
The feature take is set amidst the 4th of July celebration, as a disturbing figure named Tommy Taffy emerges.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irritating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritating. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share