irritate

[ ir-i-teyt ]

verb (used with object)

, ir·ri·tat·ed, ir·ri·tat·ing.

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)

, ir·ri·tat·ed, ir·ri·tat·ing.

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

Derived Forms

• ˈirriˌtator, noun

Other Words From

• irri·tator 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

Since coffee can irritate the gut, she suggests opting for herbal tea instead.

From The Daily Beast

Huffington also wrote that he was “easy to irritate and apt to air his grudges in public.”

From The Daily Beast

He will perform this role very well, especially if he curbs his gaffes that have already begun to irritate the White House.

From The Daily Beast

He reminds me of the head of the American Tobacco Co. whose motto was, ‘Irritate them, irritate them.’

From The Daily Beast

The smooth chatter begins to irritate me, and then infuriate me.

From The Daily Beast

And, such was his varying luck with the cards, he played for an hour or so without having won enough to irritate his companions.

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs Everett had chosen for her rle an amused superiority, knowing it would irritate Letitia Prall more than any other manner.

From Project Gutenberg

If I had my way you would, said OLeary, with bad grace, for the doctors cool assurance had not ceased to irritate him.

From Project Gutenberg

Leir is annoyed by the failure of his scheme, and the poisonous words of his eldest daughters irritate him still more.

From Project Gutenberg

I'm sure to say something to irritate him,' said Sarah in a hurried undertone.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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