irritating 1 of 2

irritating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of irritate
1
2
as in scratching
to make sore by continued rubbing new shoes usually irritate my feet

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of irritating
Adjective
The most prevalent active ingredients in the videos were not only irritating, but are also known to increase sun sensitivity. ​wendy Wisner, Parents, 10 June 2025 Consumer only just got used to the $70 increase from $60 a few years ago, and now this leap to $80, spearheaded by Nintendo and its Mario Kart World pricing, is irritating and exhausting when 4-5 games will now be the cost of an entire console by themselves. Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Verb
Avoid Chewy Foods Chewy or crunchy foods can be irritating for people with bruxism. Carrie Madormo, Rn, Mph, Verywell Health, 26 Mar. 2025 Ingredients could have broken down into irritating chemicals once past their expiration date or there could be bacteria and yeast growing in the product, which could lead to infection and forms of skin irritation such as bumps and rashes. Audrey Noble, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for irritating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritating
Adjective
  • Something that’s annoying, inefficient, or consistently painful.
    Darpan Munjal, Forbes.com, 27 July 2025
  • The car inches along, slowly filling the air with the hope of a different future, carried on tiny — albeit annoying — wings.
    Ari Daniel, NPR, 26 July 2025
Adjective
  • The harsh reality is this: not all cell phone forensic extractions are created equal, and the most important evidence for trucking cases on the smartphone will be gone in days or weeks.
    Lars Daniel, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • Late-night talk shows across the board are facing the harsh reality that declines in ad revenue can’t make up for burgeoning production costs.
    Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Jan. 2025
  • The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Similar to a sheet pan, whole meals can be built in a Dutch oven, scratching that same itch for convenience and less clean up.
    Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2024
  • But that’s just scratching the surface – addressing only the symptoms of the underlying challenges and only addressing them at the end of the SDLC process.
    Jeremy Vaughan, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Any company found to be frustrating the cancellation process could face significant fines—perhaps more than $50,000 per violation.
    Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2025
  • According to the survey, 58% of Texas Rangers fans have left games early due to frustrating wait times, good for third among all 30 MLB fan bases.
    Alyssa Cooper, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2025
Adjective
  • The company had a rough second quarter, with automotive revenue falling 16% compared to a year ago — the second straight quarter of lower sales.
    Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2025
  • Opening originally in the 1990s as Mean Streak, the old rough wooden coaster was given new life in 2018 with its transformation into arguably the greatest roller coaster of all time.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Helped by the transaxle layout, the massive power gains, and sublime styling inside and out, the Vantage also requires less of the sacrifices dictated by low-slung mid-engine supercars that demand constant vigilance to avoid scraping on speed bumps, rough canyon roads, or driveways.
    Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
  • The scraping sensations shouldn't be painful but may feel slightly uncomfortable.
    Carley Millhone, Health, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • This is a disturbing statistic and speaks to an increase in the total number of people defacing themselves, but also a rise in the amount of ink per person.
    Scott Liftman, Boston Herald, 25 July 2025
  • The board of the Regional Transportation Authority met Friday to discuss ways to respond to the cut, striking a note of optimism to counter the disturbing prediction for Tri-Rail’s future.
    Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 25 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Irritating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritating. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on irritating

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!