Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense irritates, present participle irritating, past tense, past participle irritated
1. verb
If something irritates you, it keeps annoying you.
Their attitude irritates me. [VERB noun]
Perhaps they were irritated by the sound of crying. [beVERB-ed]
angry
Synonyms: annoy, anger, bother, provoke More Synonyms of irritate
irritatedadjective
Not surprisingly, her teacher is getting irritated with her. [+ with]
Synonyms: annoyed, cross, angry, bothered More Synonyms of irritate
2. verb
If something irritates a part of your body, it causes it to itch or become sore.
Wear rubber gloves while chopping chillies as they can irritate the skin. [VERB noun]
More Synonyms of irritate
irritate in British English
(ˈɪrɪˌteɪt)
verb
1.
to annoy or anger (someone)
2. (transitive) biology
to stimulate (an organism or part) to respond in a characteristic manner
3. (transitive) pathology
to cause (a bodily organ or part) to become excessively stimulated, resulting in inflammation, tenderness, etc
Derived forms
irritator (ˈirriˌtator)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Latin irrītāre to provoke, exasperate
irritate in American English
(ˈɪrɪˌteɪt)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈirriˌtated or ˈirriˌtating
1.
to excite to anger; provoke; annoy; exasperate
2.
to cause (an organ or part of the body) to be inflamed or sore
3. Physiology
to excite (an organ, muscle, etc.) to a characteristic action or function by a stimulus
SYNONYMY NOTE: irritate, the broadest in scope of these terms, may suggest temporary superficial impatience,or constant annoyance in, or an outburst of anger from, the person stirred to feeling[their smugness irritated him]; to provoke is to arouse strong annoyance or resentment, or, sometimes, vindictive anger [provoked by an insult]; nettle implies irritation that stings or piques rather than infuriates [sly, nettling remarks]; exasperate1 implies intense irritation such as exhausts one's patience or makes one lose one'sself-control [exasperating impudence]; peeve, an informal word, means to cause to be annoyed, cross, or fretful [he seems peeved about something]
Derived forms
irritatingly (ˈirriˌtatingly)
adverb
Word origin
< L irritatus, pp. of irritare, to excite, stimulate, irritate < ir-, in- + IE base *erei-, to excite, agitate > roam
Examples of 'irritate' in a sentence
irritate
To Neil's surprise, all this had begun to irritate Dr Barbara.
Ballard, J. G. RUSHING TO PARADISE (2002)
`I'm not a psychic healer, I just said that to irritate my mother.
Cathy Kelly JUST BETWEEN US (2002)
"I hereby resolve not to let the faults of others irritate me.
Isobel Bird CIRCLE OF THREE: BOOK 12: WRITTEN IN THE STARS (2002)
In other languages
irritate
British English: irritate VERB
If something irritates you, it keeps annoying you.
Their attitude irritates me.
American English: irritate
Brazilian Portuguese: irritar
Chinese: 激怒
European Spanish: fastidiar
French: irriter
German: ärgern
Italian: irritare
Japanese: いらいらさせる
Korean: 짜증나게 하다
European Portuguese: irritar
Latin American Spanish: fastidiar
Chinese translation of 'irritate'
irritate
(ˈɪrɪteɪt)
vt
[person]使烦(煩)躁 (shǐ fánzào)
[skin, eyes]使不舒服 (shǐ bù shūfu)
1 (verb)
Definition
to annoy or anger (someone)
Their attitude irritates me.
Synonyms
annoy
Try making a note of the things that annoy you.
anger
The decision to allow more construction angered the residents.
bother
I don't know why he bothers me with this kind of rubbish.
provoke
I didn't want to do anything to provoke him.
offend
I had no intention of offending the community.
needle (informal)
She could see that she had needled him with her constant questions.
harass
a celebrity routinely harassed by the paparazzi
infuriate
It infuriated her to have to deal with this man.
aggravate (informal)
What aggravates you most about this country?
incense
This proposal will incense conservation campaigners.
fret
The quickening of time frets me.
enrage
Their complete lack of respect enraged me.
gall
It was their smugness that galled her most.
ruffle
My refusal to let him ruffle me infuriated him.
inflame
They hold the rebels responsible for inflaming the villagers.
exasperate
The constant interruptions were beginning to exasperate me.
nettle
I instantly regretted my remark, because it obviously nettled him.
pester
He's always hanging round and pestering me.
vex
Everything about that man vexes me.
irk
The rehearsal process irked him increasingly.
pique
She was piqued by his lack of enthusiasm.
rankle with
get under your skin (informal)
Her mannerisms can just get under your skin and needle you.
get on your nerves (informal)
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang)
drive you up the wall (slang)
piss you off (taboo, slang)
rub you up the wrong way (informal)
get your goat (slang)
try your patience
get in your hair (informal)
get on your wick (informal)
get your dander up (informal)
raise your hackles
get your back up
get your hackles up
put your back up
hack you off (informal)
Opposites
calm
,
soothe
,
placate
,
please
,
comfort
,
gratify
,
mollify
2 (verb)
Definition
to cause (an organ or part of the body) to become inflamed or tender
Chillies can irritate the skin.
Synonyms
inflame
pain
rub
Smear cream on to prevent it from rubbing.
scratch
He had blood on his nose and he had scratched his knees.
scrape
She stumbled and fell, scraping her palms and knees.
grate
His chair grated as he got to his feet.
graze
I had grazed my knees a little.
fret
gall
chafe
The shorts were chafing my thighs.
abrade
The rough rock had abraded her skin.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abrade
The rough rock had abraded her skin.
Synonyms
scrape,
grind,
skin,
file,
scratch,
erode,
graze,
erase,
scour,
wear off,
rub off,
wear down,
scuff,
wear away,
scrape away,
scrape out
in the sense of aggravate
Definition
to annoy
What aggravates you most about this country?
Synonyms
annoy,
bother,
provoke,
needle (informal),
irritate,
tease,
hassle (informal),
gall,
exasperate,
nettle,
pester,
vex,
irk,
get under your skin (informal),
get on your nerves (informal),
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
get up your nose (informal),
be on your back (slang),
piss you off (taboo, slang),
rub (someone) up the wrong way (informal),
get in your hair (informal),
get on your wick (British, slang),
hack you off (informal)
in the sense of anger
Definition
to make (someone) angry
The decision to allow more construction angered the residents.
Synonyms
enrage,
provoke,
outrage,
annoy,
offend,
excite,
irritate,
infuriate,
hassle (informal),
aggravate (informal),
incense,
fret,
gall,
madden,
exasperate,
nettle,
vex,
affront,
displease,
rile,
pique,
get on someone's nerves (informal),
antagonize,
get someone's back up,
piss someone off (taboo, slang),
put someone's back up,
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
make someone's blood boil,
get in someone's hair (informal),
get someone's dander up (informal)
Synonyms of 'irritate'
irritate
Explore 'irritate' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bother
Definition
to trouble (a person) by repeatedly disturbing
I don't know why he bothers me with this kind of rubbish.
Synonyms
pester,
plague,
irritate,
put out,
harass,
nag,
hassle (informal),
inconvenience,
molest,
breathe down someone's neck,
get on your nerves (informal),
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
bend someone's ear (informal),
give someone grief (British, South Africa),
get on your wick (British, slang)
in the sense of chafe
Definition
to make sore or worn by rubbing
The shorts were chafing my thighs.
Synonyms
rub,
scratch,
scrape,
rasp,
abrade
in the sense of enrage
Definition
to make extremely angry
Their complete lack of respect enraged me.
Synonyms
anger,
provoke,
irritate,
infuriate,
aggravate (informal),
incense,
gall,
madden,
inflame,
exasperate,
incite,
antagonize,
make you angry,
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
make your blood boil,
get your back up,
make you see red (informal),
put your back up
in the sense of exasperate
Definition
to cause great irritation to
The constant interruptions were beginning to exasperate me.
Synonyms
irritate,
anger,
provoke,
annoy,
rouse,
infuriate,
hassle (informal),
exacerbate,
aggravate (informal),
incense,
enrage,
gall,
madden,
inflame,
bug (informal),
nettle,
get to (informal),
vex,
embitter,
irk,
rile (informal),
pique,
rankle,
peeve (informal),
needle (informal),
get on your nerves (informal),
try the patience of,
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
piss you off (taboo, slang),
get in your hair (informal),
get on your wick (British, slang),
hack you off (informal)
in the sense of fret
Definition
to feel or give annoyance
The quickening of time frets me.
Synonyms
annoy,
trouble,
bother,
disturb,
distress,
provoke,
irritate,
grieve,
torment,
harass,
nag,
gall,
agitate,
ruffle,
nettle,
vex,
goad,
chagrin,
irk,
rile,
pique,
peeve (informal),
rankle with
in the sense of gall
Definition
to annoy or irritate
It was their smugness that galled her most.
Synonyms
annoy,
provoke,
irritate,
aggravate (informal),
get (informal),
trouble,
bother,
disturb,
plague,
madden,
ruffle,
exasperate,
nettle,
vex,
displease,
irk,
rile (informal),
peeve (informal),
get under your skin (informal),
get on your nerves (informal),
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
get up your nose (informal),
give someone grief (British, South Africa),
make your blood boil,
piss you off (taboo, slang),
rub up the wrong way,
get on your wick (British, slang),
get your back up,
put your back up,
hack you off (informal)
in the sense of get under your skin
Definition
to annoy one
Her mannerisms can just get under your skin and needle you.
Synonyms
annoy,
irritate,
aggravate (informal),
needle (informal),
nettle,
irk,
grate on,
get on your nerves (informal),
piss you off (taboo, slang),
get in your hair (informal),
rub you up the wrong way,
hack you off (informal)
in the sense of grate
Definition
to produce a harsh rasping sound by scraping against an object or surface
His chair grated as he got to his feet.
Synonyms
scrape,
grind,
rub,
scratch,
creak,
rasp
in the sense of graze
Definition
to break the skin of (a part of the body) by scraping
I had grazed my knees a little.
Synonyms
scratch,
skin,
bark,
scrape,
chafe,
abrade
in the sense of harass
Definition
to trouble or annoy (someone) by repeated attacks, questions, or problems
a celebrity routinely harassed by the paparazzi
Synonyms
annoy,
trouble,
bother,
worry,
harry,
disturb,
devil (informal),
plague,
bait,
hound,
torment,
hassle (informal),
badger,
persecute,
exasperate,
pester,
vex,
breathe down someone's neck,
chivvy (British),
give someone grief (British, South Africa),
be on your back (slang),
beleaguer
Additional synonyms
in the sense of incense
Definition
to make very angry
This proposal will incense conservation campaigners.
Synonyms
anger,
infuriate,
enrage,
excite,
provoke,
irritate,
gall,
madden,
inflame,
exasperate,
rile (informal),
raise the hackles of,
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
make your blood boil (informal),
rub you up the wrong way,
make your hackles rise,
get your hackles up,
make you see red (informal)
in the sense of infuriate
Definition
to make very angry
It infuriated her to have to deal with this man.
Synonyms
enrage,
anger,
provoke,
irritate,
incense,
gall,
madden,
exasperate,
rile,
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
be like a red rag to a bull,
make your blood boil,
get your goat (slang),
make your hackles rise,
raise your hackles,
get your back up,
make you see red (informal),
put your back up
in the sense of irk
Definition
to irritate or vex
The rehearsal process irked him increasingly.
Synonyms
irritate,
annoy,
aggravate (informal),
provoke,
bug (informal),
put out (informal),
gall,
ruffle,
nettle,
vex,
rile,
peeve (informal),
get on your nerves (informal),
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
miff (informal),
be on your back (slang),
piss you off (taboo, slang),
get in your hair (informal),
rub you up the wrong way (informal),
put your nose out of joint (informal),
get your back up,
put your back up,
hack you off (informal)
in the sense of nark
Definition
to annoy
Synonyms
annoy,
bother,
provoke,
bug (informal),
irritate,
aggravate (informal),
gall,
exasperate,
nettle,
irk,
rile,
pique,
peeve,
get on your nerves (informal),
miff (informal),
piss you off (taboo, slang),
hack you off (informal)
in the sense of needle
Definition
to goad or provoke
She could see that she had needled him with her constant questions.
Synonyms
irritate,
anger,
provoke,
annoy,
sting,
bait,
harass,
taunt,
infuriate,
nag,
hassle (informal),
aggravate,
prod,
gall (old-fashioned),
ruffle,
spur,
prick,
exasperate,
nettle,
vex,
goad,
irk,
rile,
get under your skin (informal),
get on your nerves (informal),
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
hack you off (informal),
piss you off (taboo, slang),
get in your hair (informal),
get your back up (informal),
run up the wrong way,
pester,
pique (old-fashioned),
be on your back (slang)
in the sense of nettle
I instantly regretted my remark, because it obviously nettled him.
Synonyms
irritate,
provoke,
annoy,
gall,
sting,
aggravate (informal),
incense,
ruffle,
exasperate,
vex,
goad,
pique,
get on your nerves (informal),
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
hack you off (informal),
piss you off (taboo, slang),
harass,
hassle (informal),
fret,
chafe
in the sense of offend
Definition
to hurt the feelings of (a person)
I had no intention of offending the community.
Synonyms
distress,
upset,
outrage,
pain,
wound,
slight,
provoke,
insult,
annoy,
irritate,
put down,
dismay,
snub,
aggravate (informal),
gall,
agitate,
ruffle,
disconcert,
vex,
affront,
displease,
rile,
pique,
give offence,
hurt (someone's) feelings,
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
cut to the quick,
miff (informal),
tread on (someone's) toes (informal),
piss you off (taboo, slang),
put (someone's) nose out of joint,
put (someone's) back up,
disgruntle,
get (someone's) goat (slang),
hack someone off (informal)
in the sense of pester
Definition
to annoy or nag continually
He's always hanging round and pestering me.
Synonyms
annoy,
worry,
bother,
disturb,
bug (informal),
plague,
torment,
get at,
harass,
nag,
hassle (informal),
harry,
aggravate (informal),
fret,
badger,
pick on,
irk,
bedevil,
chivvy (British),
get on your nerves (informal),
bend someone's ear (informal),
drive you up the wall (slang),
be on your back (slang),
get in your hair (informal)
in the sense of pique
Definition
to hurt (someone's) pride
She was piqued by his lack of enthusiasm.
Synonyms
displease,
wound,
provoke,
annoy,
get (informal),
sting,
offend,
irritate,
put out,
incense,
gall,
nettle,
vex,
affront,
mortify,
irk,
rile,
peeve (informal),
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
put someone's nose out of joint (informal),
miff (informal),
hack off (informal)
in the sense of provoke
Definition
to deliberately act in a way intended to anger someone
I didn't want to do anything to provoke him.
Synonyms
anger,
insult,
annoy,
offend,
irritate,
infuriate,
hassle (informal),
aggravate (informal),
incense,
enrage,
gall,
put someone out,
madden,
exasperate,
vex,
affront,
chafe,
irk,
rile,
pique,
get on someone's nerves (informal),
get someone's back up,
piss someone off (taboo, slang),
put someone's back up,
try someone's patience,
nark (British, Australian, New Zealand, slang),
make someone's blood boil,
get in someone's hair (informal),
rub someone up the wrong way,
hack someone off (informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of rub
Definition
to chafe or fray through rubbing
Smear cream on to prevent it from rubbing.
Synonyms
chafe,
scrape,
grate,
abrade,
fray
in the sense of ruffle
Definition
to annoy or irritate
My refusal to let him ruffle me infuriated him.
Synonyms
annoy,
worry,
trouble,
upset,
confuse,
stir,
disturb,
rattle (informal),
irritate,
put out,
unsettle,
shake up (informal),
harass,
hassle (informal),
agitate,
unnerve,
disconcert,
disquiet,
nettle,
vex,
fluster,
perturb,
faze,
peeve (informal),
hack off (informal)
in the sense of scrape
Definition
to injure or damage by scraping
She stumbled and fell, scraping her palms and knees.
Synonyms
graze,
skin,
scratch,
bark,
scuff,
rub,
abrade
in the sense of scratch
Definition
to rub against (the skin) causing a slight cut
He had blood on his nose and he had scratched his knees.
Synonyms
cut,
skin,
wound,
rub,
bark,
scrape,
graze,
rasp,
chafe,
lacerate,
abrade
in the sense of vex
Definition
to cause (someone) to feel annoyance or irritation