irritating
adjective
ir·ri·tat·ing ˈir-ə-ˌtā-tiŋ 
: causing displeasure, anger, or annoyance
an irritating noise/habit
I felt more and more angry. There was something very irritating and aggressive in Summerlee's demeanour.
Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle irritatingly
ˈir-ə-ˌtā-tiŋ-lē
adverb The computer was irritatingly slow.
Synonyms
- abrasive
- aggravating
- annoying
- bothersome
- carking
- chafing
- disturbing
- exasperating
- frustrating
- galling
- irksome
- maddening
- nettlesome
- nettling
- peeving
- pesky
- pestiferous
- pestilent
- pestilential
- pesty
- plaguey
- plaguy
- rankling
- rebarbative
- riling
- vexatious
- vexing
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The salicylic acid gets down to the deeper layer of the skin without being too intense or irritating. Jennifer Chan, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2022 This non-irritating formula offers a deep cleanse while balancing skin’s pH, moisturizing, and protecting skin from external stressors. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2022 Nearly everyone is irritable and irritating, but Reijn and her actors modulate skillfully enough. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2022 Testers voted the drugstore buy the fastest-absorbing and most appealing in texture as well as least irritating. April Franzino, Good Housekeeping, 21 July 2022 Some also find that mineral sunscreen ingredients, like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, are less irritating. Nicole Saporita, Good Housekeeping, 8 Aug. 2022 The shaving product produces a rich cream and helps reduce redness while making shaving less irritating. Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 June 2022 Those with sensitive skin, for example, may be better off using a product with a lower concentration or one that contains retrinal, a less irritating form of retinol. Sara Coughlin, SELF, 2 June 2022 The tea acts as an antimicrobial to ensure that the bacteria and fungus on your skin do not multiply – yuck – while the sugar cane acts as a natural, non-irritating, exfoliant. Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 June 2022 See More
Jennifer Chan, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2022 This non-irritating formula offers a deep cleanse while balancing skin’s pH, moisturizing, and protecting skin from external stressors. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2022 Nearly everyone is irritable and irritating, but Reijn and her actors modulate skillfully enough. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2022 Testers voted the drugstore buy the fastest-absorbing and most appealing in texture as well as least irritating. April Franzino, Good Housekeeping, 21 July 2022 Some also find that mineral sunscreen ingredients, like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, are less irritating. Nicole Saporita, Good Housekeeping, 8 Aug. 2022 The shaving product produces a rich cream and helps reduce redness while making shaving less irritating. Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 June 2022 Those with sensitive skin, for example, may be better off using a product with a lower concentration or one that contains retrinal, a less irritating form of retinol. Sara Coughlin, SELF, 2 June 2022 The tea acts as an antimicrobial to ensure that the bacteria and fungus on your skin do not multiply – yuck – while the sugar cane acts as a natural, non-irritating, exfoliant. Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 June 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1707, in the meaning defined above
irritating 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in annoying
causing annoyance his particularly irritating habit of leaving his dirty clothes on the floor Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- annoying
- frustrating
- disturbing
- aggravating
- exasperating
- irksome
- maddening
- bothersome
- vexing
- abrasive
- painful
- vexatious
- nettling
- pesky
- nettlesome
- chafing
- rebarbative
- pesty
- plaguey
- pestiferous
- pestilential
- galling
- riling
- distractive
- infuriating
- rankling
- peeving
- carking
- plaguy
- troublesome
- pestilent
- troubling
- enraging
- discomforting
- stressful
- upsetting
- displeasing
- inconveniencing
- tiresome
- mischievous
- angering
- importunate
- biting
- disquieting
- distressing
- burdensome
- offensive
- bratty
- worrisome
- importune
- trying
- jarring
- grating
- brattish
- jangling
- thorny
- spiny
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- delightful
- pleasing
2
as in harsh
causing an unpleasant tingling sensation this soap leaves a residue that might be a little irritating if you have sensitive skin Synonyms & Similar Words
- harsh
- itchy
- scratchy
- coarse
- rough
- prickly
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- soft
- silky
- soothing
- silken
irritating
2 of 2verb
1
as in bugging
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
- annoying
- bugging
- bothering
- aggravating
- persecuting
- exasperating
- infuriating
- getting
- grating
- vexing
- irking
- itching
- eating
- nettling
- worrying
- angering
- griping
- galling
- chafing
- teasing
- insulting
- riling
- ruffling
- peeving
- rasping
- plaguing
- provoking
- frosting
- narking
- spiting
- piquing
- getting to
- upsetting
- nagging
- harassing
- enraging
- wearing on
- putting out
- offending
- unsettling
- maddening
- rubbing the wrong way
- sticking in one's craw
- burning (up)
- hassling
- getting on one's nerves
- badgering
- hacking (off)
- heckling
- discomforting
- distressing
- setting one's teeth on edge
- pestering
- rousing
- getting one's goat
- antagonizing
- agitating
- disquieting
- inflaming
- perturbing
- baiting
- harrying
- outraging
- incensing
- rankling
- affronting
- undoing
- roiling
- enflaming
- fretting
- bullyragging
- unhinging
- exercising
- ballyragging
- devilling
- miffing
- hagriding
- discomposing
- deviling
- freaking (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- gratifying
- pacifying
- satisfying
- pleasing
- obliging
- placating
- appeasing
- reassuring
- mollifying
- soothing
- conciliating
- comforting
- delighting
- consoling
- propitiating
- assuring
- quieting
- cheering
- gladdening
- contenting
- solacing
2
as in scratching
to make sore by continued rubbing new shoes usually irritate my feet Synonyms & Similar Words
- scratching
- galling
- chafing
- excoriating
- scraping
- abrading
- fretting
- burning
- peeling
- inflaming
- grazing
- enflaming
- skinning
- flaying