Showing results for "irritating"

• present participle of irritate.

irritating

American  

[ir-i-tey-ting] / ˈɪr ɪˌteɪ tɪŋ /

adjective

1. causing irritation; annoying; provoking;

   irritating questions.

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Other Word Forms

• nonirritating
  adjective
• unirritating
  adjective
• irritatingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of irritating

First recorded in 1700–10; irritat(e) + -ing ²

Explanation

If something's irritating, it annoys you. To most people, tuneless whistling and fingernails on a chalkboard are both irritating sounds. Irritating things bug you. A little kid kicking the back of your seat on an airplane, a driver who follows you too closely on the highway, an early morning work crew right outside your bedroom window — all of these things can be irritating. A more physical way for something to be irritating is if it causes irritation — like a rash or soreness or pain. Your new watch may be irritating to your skin, leaving a red mark on your wrist.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

irritating

They said the coverage of the Instagram re-post row had been "deeply irritating" but added that the review was not directly linked to that incident.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

Letisha Lucas, a 33-year-old tourist from Canada -- which has its own wildfires happening -- said the smoke smell was immediately obvious on arrival in Madrid "and very irritating on the throat".

From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026

For some, the noise is irritating but manageable.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

L.A. city officials said Saturday they expected to declare a state of emergency as firefighters continue to battle a stubborn warehouse fire in Boyle Heights that has sent plumes of irritating smoke across the region.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2026

Such a public revelation only brought about irritating questions.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

Related Words

• annoying
• bothersome
• disturbing