irritating
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The US Environmental Protection Agency says methyl methacrylate is irritating to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes in humans.
From Barron's • May 23, 2026
Tinnitus can range from mildly irritating to severely distressing.
From Science Daily • May 15, 2026
For Alessandra and others who live nearby, the mob of media parked on their sidewalks was an unusual site, irritating to many, but exciting and "popping" to Alessandra and others.
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
Underwater speakers blasting irritating sounds, and a curtain of air bubbles, would also deter the carp.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
When I reached the foyer, I stabbed at the intercom button to stop the irritating blare before it woke up the whole house.
From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson
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.
