as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
the whining child was a constant irritant to his long-suffering parents
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of irritant
Ceramides help strengthen your skin barrier, so irritants can’t get in.
—
Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 18 Mar. 2025
Pinpointing skin irritants or allergens is often a huge hurdle for people with eczema, especially those with deeper complexions who have a higher risk of hyperpigmentation post-flare-up.
—Jihan Forbes, Allure, 28 Feb. 2025
Cold compress: Apply a cool, damp washcloth over your closed eyes.
Splash your eyes with cold water: Splash gently with cold water to flush out the irritants.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 16 May 2025
Daily irritants in public space can quickly devolve into signs of a failing city.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for irritant
Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 18 Mar. 2025
Pinpointing skin irritants or allergens is often a huge hurdle for people with eczema, especially those with deeper complexions who have a higher risk of hyperpigmentation post-flare-up.
—Jihan Forbes, Allure, 28 Feb. 2025
Cold compress: Apply a cool, damp washcloth over your closed eyes.
Splash your eyes with cold water: Splash gently with cold water to flush out the irritants.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 16 May 2025
Daily irritants in public space can quickly devolve into signs of a failing city.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for irritant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritant
Noun
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Its stern warnings are scary and uncomfortable--the headaches, indigestion, muscle spasms, body aches, clenched teeth or knots in your chest.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
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More severe cases of salmonellosis may include a high fever, aches, headaches, lethargy, a rash, blood in the urine or stool, and in some cases may become fatal.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
The velocity of misinformation isn’t just a nuisance.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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Eating flaxseed might even ease menopausal symptoms, which—among its many other nuisances—can often include GI issues.—
Christina Pérez,
Vogue,
29 May 2025
Noun
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The early part of the season indicated Arizona would indeed be a thorn in the side of the Dodgers and one of the best teams in the NL.—
Andrew Wright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
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The law has been a thorn in the side of the Trump administration’s campaign to ramp up deportations, which the president has cast as an effort to rid the country of criminals despite also targeting immigrants with no prior convictions.—
Taryn Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2025
Noun
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What a Lee presidency might look like Yoon’s martial law decree had been in part fueled by his frustration over a months-long political stalemate, with Lee’s Democratic Party blocking the president from moving forward with many of his campaign promises and policies.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
4 June 2025
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The viral TikTok video of the incident, while gaining traction elsewhere, only added to the frustration expressed by those in the thread.—
Darlin Tillery,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Noun
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In fact, the belief that Trump regards ethics as little more an annoyance might actually prop up the value of his crypto ventures.—
Dan Alexander,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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Now many of Musk’s governmental annoyances are melting away.—
Matthew Purdy,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irritant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritant. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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