irritate

verb

ir·​ri·​tate ˈir-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce irritate (audio)
irritated; irritating
Synonyms of irritate

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 of irritate

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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
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.
These extra vessels increase inflammation and irritate surrounding nerves, making daily movement painful. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 The key is knowing what’s likely to irritate your skin during a flare and what may spark an issue day-to-day even when your skin is clear. — Kara McGrath, Allure, 22 Oct. 2026 Salazar’s attempt to distance herself from the increasingly-unpopular president could potentially appease moderate and independent voters, but her TV ad also irritated Trump personally — as well as some of his hard-core MAGA supporters. — Michael Vasquez, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026 While the side effects of a histamine release can be irritating, Hwang notes that histamine plays a critical part in your body. — Lauren Finney Harden, AJC.com, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for irritate

Word History

Etymology

Latin irritatus, past participle of irritare

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of irritate was in 1598

Rhymes for irritate

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Browse Nearby Words

irritant clause
irritate
irritated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Irritate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irritate. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

irritate

verb
ir·​ri·​tate ˈir-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce irritate (audio)
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 How to pronounce irritate (audio)
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
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