irritate

/ˌɪrəˈteɪt/

/ˈɪrɪteɪt/

Other forms: irritated; irritating; irritates

To irritate is to cause an unsettling reaction, whether it's of the body or the nerves. You can irritate someone by talking too loudly on your cellphone in public. You can also irritate your skin, causing a rash or redness.

To irritate is to disturb — either physically or psychologically. When you have an allergic reaction to something, you irritate or disturb the body. When you have an allergic reaction to your kid brother, he is probably irritating you with his annoying habits. And what is the result of something irritating? An irritation of course.

Definitions of irritate

1. verb

   cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
   “It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves”

   synonyms: annoy, bother, chafe, devil, get at, get to, gravel, nark, nettle, rag, rile, vex

   chafe

   feel extreme irritation or anger

   types:

   get, get under one's skin

   irritate

   eat into, fester, fret, gnaw, 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

   goad, needle

   goad or provoke, as by constant criticism

   bedevil, crucify, dun, frustrate, rag, torment

   treat cruelly

   haze

   harass by imposing humiliating or painful tasks, as in military institutions

   type of:

   displease

   give displeasure to
2. verb

   excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame
   “Aspirin irritates my stomach”

   antonyms:

   soothe

   cause to feel better

   types:

   chafe, fret, gall

   become or make sore by or as if by rubbing

   itch, rub, scratch

   scrape or rub as if to relieve itching

   type of:

   aggravate, exacerbate, exasperate, worsen

   make worse
3. verb

   excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus
   “irritate the glands of a leaf”

   types:

   pinch, vellicate

   irritate as if by a nip, pinch, or tear

   type of:

   excite, stimulate

   act as a stimulant