irritate
verb (used with object)
to excite to impatience or anger; annoy.
irritates
-
present tense formof irritate (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
But when it goes away, so do our nightly doses of Colbert’s affable clowning, the kind that irritates thin-skinned despots in a way other comics can’t quite match.
From Salon ● May 21, 2026
This irritates the Chinese authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing to no end.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2025
Traditional oral iron supplements can help, but they often leave behind unabsorbed iron that irritates the digestive tract and triggers inflammation.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2025
The ammonia gas irritates the nasal membranes, causing a reflex that increases breathing and heart rate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2025
It irritates her that Amma and I can chat in a language she doesn't understand, though Amma's told her we're not saying anything about her.
From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman
