irritating

[ ir-i-tey-ting ]

/ ˈɪr ɪˌteɪ tɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR irritating ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

causing irritation; annoying; provoking: irritating questions.

Words nearby irritating

irritable bowel syndrome, irritable heart, irritant, irritate, irritated, irritating, irritation, irritation fibroma, irritative, irrorate, irrotational

Origin of irritating

First recorded in 1700–10; irritate + -ing²

OTHER WORDS FROM irritating

ir·ri·tat·ing·ly, adverbnon·ir·ri·tat·ing, adjectiveun·ir·ri·tat·ing, adjective

Definition for irritating (2 of 2)

irritate

[ ir-i-teyt ]

/ ˈɪr ɪˌteɪt /

verb (used with object), ir·ri·tat·ed, ir·ri·tat·ing.

to excite to impatience or anger; annoy.

Physiology, Biology. to excite (a living system) to some characteristic action or function.

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.

to cause irritation or become irritated.

Origin of irritate

1525–35; < Latin irrītātus, past participle of irrītāre to arouse to anger, excite, aggravate, equivalent to irritā- v. stem + -tus past participle suffix

SYNONYMS FOR irritate

1 vex, chafe, fret, gall; nettle, ruffle, pique; incense, enrage, infuriate, inflame.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR irritate ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM irritate

ir·ri·ta·tor, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH irritate

aggravate annoy irritate

synonym study for irritate

1. 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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for irritating

It reminds me of an uncle of mine who said the London Blitz was irritating.
Why Can’t Movies Capture Genius?|Clive Irving|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This strain of enterovirus seems unusually provocative in irritating lower airways, thereby causing airway narrowing.
Midwest's 'Mystery Virus' Is Scary but Not Deadly|Kent Sepkowitz|September 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is such an irritating movie that it has had the effect of clarifying, once and for all, why Braff himself is bothersome.
Zach Braff’s Irritating Sense of Entitlement|Andrew Romano|July 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At first it was irritating, but then it became fascinating and finally fun to see.
I Was Way Too Old for Z100’s Jingle Ball Concert. But I Couldn’t Have Had More Fun.|Kevin Fallon|December 14, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Both characters manage to spin what could be irritating quirks into identifiable character traits.
The Best TV Shows of 2013: ‘Orange Is the New Black,’ ‘Breaking Bad’ and More|Kevin Fallon|December 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Their heavy fines and irritating restrictions upon foreign workmen were nothing so much as a tax upon industrial progress.
Political Thought in England from Locke to Bentham|Harold J. Laski
The passengers were an uneducated set, whose presence was irritating.
Letters of Anton Chekhov|Anton Chekhov
Disaffection was visible on all sides, and yet inaction, irritating inaction, was obligatory.
South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 2 (of 6)|Louis Creswicke
It had begun to snow, in a fitful, irritating way—little gritty pellets that blew into his face.
The Vehement Flame|Margaret Wade Campbell Deland
"I'll wait a few minutes," said Craig in his sharp, irritating voice.
The Fashionable Adventures of Joshua Craig|David Graham Phillips

British Dictionary definitions for irritating

irritate

/ (ˈɪrɪˌteɪt) /

verb

to annoy or anger (someone)

(tr) biology to stimulate (an organism or part) to respond in a characteristic manner

(tr) pathol to cause (a bodily organ or part) to become excessively stimulated, resulting in inflammation, tenderness, etc

Derived forms of irritate

irritator, noun

Word Origin for irritate

C16: from Latin irrītāre to provoke, exasperate

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012