1
as in to annoy
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of irritate
Rochester recommends baby shampoo to get your hair and makeup brushes grease-free and without any additives that may irritate sensitive face skin.
—
Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 23 June 2025
Their loud calls might be irritating, but there’s a purpose behind all that buzzing.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 23 June 2025
One person, however, admitted that they would have been irritated as well if a spouse changed the day’s plan without consulting them first.
—Toria Sheffield, People.com, 21 June 2025
Audience Fatigue Too much communication—emails, notifications and advertisements—can overwhelm and irritate your audience, leading to a sort of disengagement from the product.
—Khalid Al Awar, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for irritate
Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 23 June 2025
Their loud calls might be irritating, but there’s a purpose behind all that buzzing.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 23 June 2025
One person, however, admitted that they would have been irritated as well if a spouse changed the day’s plan without consulting them first.
—Toria Sheffield, People.com, 21 June 2025
Audience Fatigue Too much communication—emails, notifications and advertisements—can overwhelm and irritate your audience, leading to a sort of disengagement from the product.
—Khalid Al Awar, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for irritate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritate
Verb
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Perhaps Trump just wanted to annoy his counterparts, especially those on the continent.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
14 July 2025
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But Cotton, annoyed by Hank’s indirectness and emotion, browbeats his son.—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
7 July 2025
Verb
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He was scratched from a game in early May after experiencing soreness on his left side but started three days later.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
4 July 2025
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Independence Day While the rest of the films on this list surely make sense, some might be scratching their heads on why a sci-fi film is considered to be one of the greatest Fourth of July films ever made.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
Verb
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There’s something delicious about sipping lemonade after a dip in the pool, looking down from the balcony at the day-trippers all hot and bothered below.—
Richard Godwin,
Travel + Leisure,
12 July 2025
-
Chisholm, the Yankees’ hottest hitter over the last month or so, has said that the shoulder bothers him more in the field than at the plate.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
11 July 2025
Verb
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National Weather Service radar is indicated that squall bands are starting to scrape the Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida coastlines.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
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Avoid using any type of metal tool or spatula to scrape the surface.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
4 July 2025
Verb
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Say your mother kept bugging you to change a bad habit.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
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Next season is when all the little things start to bug me.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The straps are made from a breathable faux-leather material that won’t chafe or rub against the skin, and each buckle can be tightened to ensure a snug fit that won’t slide around while sightseeing.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
4 July 2025
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For a long time, some council members have chafed at the mayor’s authority and sought or tried to force a different power-sharing equation.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 June 2025
Verb
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There may be no animal that has been more revered and reviled, romanticized and persecuted, adopted and murdered than the coyote.—
Helen Whybrow
July 7,
Literary Hub,
7 July 2025
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Asylum seekers must prove their government is persecuting them or that they're being persecuted by someone who the government is unable or unwilling to stop.—
Victoria Moorwood,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Verb
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His financial problems were aggravated by a nationwide economic downturn in 1873.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
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Doyle also has two other convictions for narcotics possession, and in 2010 he was charged with armed home invasion and aggravated domestic battery stemming from an incident in Skokie.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irritate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritate. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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