IRRITATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does irritate mean? 

• IRRITATE (verb)
  The verb IRRITATE has 3 senses:

1. cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations

2. excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame

3. excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus

  Familiarity information: IRRITATE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• IRRITATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they irritate    ... he / she / it irritates   
Past simple: irritated   
Past participle: irritated   
-ing form: irritating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

annoy; bother; chafe; devil; get at; get to; gravel; irritate; nark; nettle; rag; rile; vex

Context example:

It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves

Hypernyms (to "irritate" is one way to...):

displease (give displeasure to)

Verb group:

chafe (feel extreme irritation or anger)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "irritate"):

get; get under one's skin (irritate)

eat into; fret; grate; rankle (gnaw into; make resentful or angry)

peeve (cause to be annoyed, irritated, or resentful)

ruffle (trouble or vex)

fret (cause annoyance in)

beset; chevvy; chevy; chivvy; chivy; harass; harry; hassle; molest; plague; provoke (annoy continually or chronically)

antagonise; antagonize (provoke the hostility of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

The bad news will irritate him
The performance is likely to irritate Sue

Derivation:

irritant (something that causes irritation and annoyance)

irritation (the act of troubling or annoying someone)

irritation (unfriendly behavior that causes anger or resentment)

irritation (a sudden outburst of anger)

irritation (the psychological state of being irritated or annoyed)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

Aspirin irritates my stomach

Hypernyms (to "irritate" is one way to...):

aggravate; exacerbate; exasperate; worsen (make worse)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "irritate"):

chafe; fret; gall (become or make sore by or as if by rubbing)

itch; rub; scratch (scrape or rub as if to relieve itching)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Antonym:

soothe (cause to feel better)

Derivation:

irritation (an uncomfortable feeling of mental painfulness or distress)

irritation ((pathology) abnormal sensitivity to stimulation)

irritative ((used of physical stimuli) serving to stimulate or excite)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

irritate the glands of a leaf

Hypernyms (to "irritate" is one way to...):

excite; stimulate (act as a stimulant)

Domain category:

physiology (the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organisms)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "irritate"):

pinch; vellicate (irritate as if by a nip, pinch, or tear)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

irritation (the neural or electrical arousal of an organ or muscle or gland)

irritative ((used of physical stimuli) serving to stimulate or excite)

 Context examples 

The main cause of COPD is long-term exposure to substances that irritate and damage the lungs.

(COPD, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

An inflammatory skin condition caused by direct contact between the skin and either an irritating substance or an allergen.

(Contact Dermatitis, NCI Thesaurus)

Exposure to disperse blue 1 irritates the eye and skin.

(CI Disperse Blue 1, NCI Thesaurus)

The first sign is often red and irritated skin.

(Cosmetics, Food and Drug Administration)

Exposure to this substance can severely irritate and burn the eyes and skin and can cause liver damage.

(Diepoxybutane, NCI Thesaurus)

Exposure to Michler's base irritates the skin and eyes and can lead to methemoglobinemia and respiratory tract distress.

(Michler's Base, NCI Thesaurus)

Exposure to epichlorohydrin irritates the eyes, skin and respiratory tract, and can cause chemical pneumonitis, pulmonary edema, and renal lesions.

(Epichlorohydrin, NCI Thesaurus)

It may be caused by breathing in gases or particles that irritate the bronchioles.

(Bronchiolitis obliterans, NCI Dictionary)

Exposure to basic fuchsin is irritating to the eyes and skin.

(Basic Fuchsin, NCI Thesaurus)

The Mariposa was now in the northeast trades, and this wine of wind, surging against him, irritated him.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)