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.
For some, the noise is irritating but manageable.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026
Two irritating streaks of American futility were over—but the U.S. adventure at its home World Cup wasn’t ending yet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 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
That WWE ring sees unexpected action late Sunday afternoon, while MMA fighter and professional annoying person Logan Paul is taping an especially irritating episode of his Impaulsive podcast.
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026
I kept walking to my class and pretended not to hear Jack’s irritating voice.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
