: causing irritation
specifically
: tending to produce physical irritation
Examples of irritant in a Sentence
Noun
dust and other lung irritants
The delay was a minor irritant.
Recent Examples on the Web
wendy Wisner, Parents, 9 July 2025
Many have been peaceful, but some have resulted in clashes with law enforcement as officers made arrests and used chemical irritants to disperse crowds.
—Khaleda Rahman
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 22 June 2025
Public broadcasting has been an irritant to conservatives for a long time.
—Llewellyn King, Boston Herald, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for irritant
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Noun
Reducing exposure to irritants like chlorine can be helpful there.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 9 July 2025
Many have been peaceful, but some have resulted in clashes with law enforcement as officers made arrests and used chemical irritants to disperse crowds.
—Khaleda Rahman
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
Adjective
In Silicon Valley, however, regulators are often viewed with suspicion—at best an irritant, at worst the enemy.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 22 June 2025
Public broadcasting has been an irritant to conservatives for a long time.
—Llewellyn King, Boston Herald, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for irritant
Cite this Entry
“Irritant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irritant. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
irritant
1 of 2 adjective
ir·ri·tant
ˈir-ə-tənt 
: tending to produce anger, annoyance, impatience, soreness, or inflammation
especially
: tending to produce physical irritation
irritant
2 of 2 noun
: something that irritates
Medical Definition
irritant
1 of 2 adjective
ir·ri·tant
ˈir-ə-tənt
: causing irritation
specifically
: tending to produce inflammation
irritant
2 of 2 noun
: something that irritates or excites
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