irritating

[ ir-i-tey-ting ]
/ ˈɪr ɪˌteɪ tɪŋ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR irritating ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

causing irritation; annoying; provoking: irritating questions.

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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

Words nearby irritating

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

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

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.

OTHER WORDS FROM irritate

ir·ri·ta·tor, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH irritate

aggravate annoy irritate
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to irritating

disturbing, annoying, bothersome, trying, provoking

Example sentences from the Web for irritating

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