irritation
Americannoun
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the act of irritating or the state of being irritated.
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something that irritates.
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Physiology, Pathology.
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the bringing of a bodily part or organ to an abnormally excited or sensitive condition.
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the condition itself.
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noun
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something that irritates
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the act of irritating or the condition of being irritated
Other Word Forms
- irritative adjective
Etymology
Origin of irritation
First recorded in 1580–90, irritation is from the Latin word irrītātiōn- (stem of irrītātiō ). See irritate, -ion
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.
Sal quietly seethes with irritation at Sonny’s misbegotten machinations, his chilly demeanor suggesting a tense and potentially dangerous volatility.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
Short-term exposure by inhalation can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue respiratory irritation and other adverse health effects, according to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026
As a menthol analogue, it activates the cooling pathway, which helps stimulate tear production and relieve irritation.
From Science Daily • Mar. 8, 2026
With regard to his persistent irritation, he accepts that not all feelings lead to self-improvement.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
He would do this every few minutes, I felt a senseless stupid irritation come over me, and I did not know how to prevent myself from turning round and screaming to him to stop.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
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.
