irritate

[ir-i-teyt]

verb (used with object)

irritated, irritating 

1. to excite to impatience or anger; annoy.

   Synonyms: inflame, infuriate, enrage, incense, pic, ruffle, nettle, gall, fret, chafe, vex

2. Physiology, Biology.,  to excite (a living system) to some characteristic action or function.

3. Pathology.,  to bring (a body part) to an abnormally excited or sensitive condition.

verb (used without object)

irritated, irritating 

1. to cause irritation or become irritated.

irritate

/ ˈɪrɪˌteɪt /

verb

1. to annoy or anger (someone)

2. (tr) biology to stimulate (an organism or part) to respond in a characteristic manner

3. (tr) pathol to cause (a bodily organ or part) to become excessively stimulated, resulting in inflammation, tenderness, etc

Other Word Forms

• irritator noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of irritate¹

1525–35; < Latin irrītātus, past participle of irrītāre to arouse to anger, excite, aggravate, equivalent to irritā- v. stem + -tus past participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of irritate¹

C16: from Latin irrītāre to provoke, exasperate

Synonym Study

Irritate, exasperate, provoke mean to annoy or stir to anger. To irritate is to excite to impatience or angry feeling, often of no great depth or duration: to irritate by refusing to explain an action. To exasperate is to irritate to a point where self-control is threatened or lost: to exasperate by continual delays and excuses. To provoke is to stir to a sudden, strong feeling of resentful anger as by unwarrantable acts or wanton annoyance: to tease and provoke an animal until it attacks.

Example Sentences

His messages were "not merely irritating or annoying, but rather oppressive and unacceptable, thereby crossing the threshold into harassment", Julia Faure Walker, for the prosecution, said on Thursday.

From BBC

“They would get stressed out, start to fight — everything irritated them,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

The restrictions mostly make sense: coffee can spike stress, eggs and wheat affect blood sugar, meat can inflame, and some fruits and vegetables irritate sensitive stomachs.

From Salon

The 71-year-old claimed responses to his complaints were sent in small print, something that had left him "irritated and infuriated".

From BBC

The ammonia gas irritates the nasal membranes, causing a reflex that increases breathing and heart rate.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aggravate 
• annoy 
• bother 
• confuse 
• disturb 
• enrage 
• exasperate 
• gall 
• incense 
• inflame 
• infuriate 
• irk 
• offend 
• peeve 
• provoke 
• rankle 
• rattle 
• rile 
• sour 
• vex