irritant
Americanadjective
noun
-
anything that irritates.
-
Physiology, Pathology. a biological, chemical, or physical agent that stimulates a characteristic function or elicits a response, especially an inflammatory response.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of irritant
1630–40; < Latin irrītant- (stem of irrītāns ), present participle of irrītāre to irritate; see -ant
Compare meaning
How does irritant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
An irritant is a substance that causes pain, itching, or discomfort. Chlorine, which is commonly used in swimming pools and hot tubs, is an irritant that dries out skin and reddens eyes. A physical irritant does just what it sounds like: it irritates your body in some way. For some people, any scent in hand soap or laundry detergent acts as an irritant, causing itchy rashes. A figurative irritant is someone or something that bugs you. The noise your brother makes when he slurps his cereal every morning might, for example, be an irritant. The word is related to irritate, sharing the Latin root irritare, "provoke."
Vocabulary lists containing irritant
John F. Kennedy's Address to the American People on the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
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"Introduction to Homeland Security," Vocabulary from Chapter 3
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Additional Articles on DDT and Malaria
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sen. Kim, who had visited the facility after hearing about the hunger strike, was among those caught in the chemical irritant.
From Slate • May 29, 2026
The substance is believed to have been an irritant spray, identified by authorities as likely containing capsaicin - which is found in chilli peppers.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
“I would describe it as being the irritant in Linwood’s underwear,” said Cranston, who is also an executive producer.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
"It turns out that a specific irritant receptor is 30 times less sensitive in snow flies than in mosquitoes and fruit flies," Gallio said.
From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026
A further irritant was the inability of patent office examiners to grasp Lawrence’s work, which resulted in skeptical questioning of his patent claims.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
