1
as in annoying
causing annoyance
his particularly irritating habit of leaving his dirty clothes on the floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bothering
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
constant chatter irritated the student, who was trying to concentrate on a hard assignment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025
In addition to their irritating, itchy bites, the insects can carry diseases like West Nile, which has been detected in Milwaukee County this year.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Sherri Gordon, Health, 14 Aug. 2025
The right formula should define lashes without smudging, flaking, or irritating the eyes — and offer a finish that feels softer and more natural than traditional black.
—Claire Sullivan, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for irritating
Adjective
Nor is Vance the first politician to vacation with an irritating retinue in tow.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025
In addition to their irritating, itchy bites, the insects can carry diseases like West Nile, which has been detected in Milwaukee County this year.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
Wear loose, breathable clothing to avoid irritating or clogging your hair follicles.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 14 Aug. 2025
The right formula should define lashes without smudging, flaking, or irritating the eyes — and offer a finish that feels softer and more natural than traditional black.
—Claire Sullivan, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for irritating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritating
Adjective
-
Don’t be mad at me for saying so, but from the buyer’s side, your ads are likely annoying.—
Renae Gregoire,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
The argument for quarterly reporting is that efficient and fair public markets require transparency, no matter how annoying that may be to executives who have to pay people to do the actual compliance, accounting and public-relations work around that report four times a year.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
These findings highlight an urgent need to shield stem cells from the harsh realities of space.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Rain is coming, penciled in for an hour or two from now, and a harsh British wind is flinging leaves off branches and cloaking the countryside with something that smells dungy and damp.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
There's other important bathroom etiquette travelers should keep in mind to avoid bothering flight attendants.—
Katie Nadworny,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Lead with Gratitude and Grace Calling out someone for bothering you is always tricky.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The fourth quarter of Sunday’s early-window games featured one head-scratching special teams play and a game in which two teams traded consecutive return scores in a span of 12 seconds.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Both are resistant to cracking and scratching, but Apple says the second-generation material is three times more resistant to scratching.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Before last season, his latent talent was obvious, but a frustrating lack of consistency meant the 28-year-old was never — until now — even included in the 30-man shortlist for the award.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
-
More frustrating still is when the shoe is on the other foot.—
Bruce Tulgan,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
After a rough outing Thursday, though, Stewart will pitch again for OKC on Sunday.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Then there was a rough outing Week 2 at Indianapolis in which he and Strnad each were exposed in coverage and targeted by a Colts offense that racked up 447 yards and operated extensively through running back Jonathan Taylor and tight end Tyler Warren.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
To add details, etch swooping lines around the holes by scraping away the pumpkin's outer skin to create contrast.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Two games into 2025, the league’s lowest-scoring team from last year is still scraping the bottom.—
Zac Jackson,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Her black-and-white paintings mixed cartoon characters with psychological complexities resulting in sometimes-disturbing interpretations of pop icons.—
Jane Wooldridge,
Miami Herald,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Ask them to retell their experience watching it The best thing to do when a child sees something disturbing is to talk about it.—
Robyn Koslowitz,
Parents,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irritating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritating. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share