1
as in annoying
causing annoyance
his particularly irritating habit of leaving his dirty clothes on the floor
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of irritating
Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
To boost the benefits without increasing sensitivity, it’s paired with bakuchiol, a popular retinol alternative that’s known to be much less irritating.
—Sarah Y. Wu, Glamour, 13 May 2025
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
Adjective
Not just the threat-of-extinction stuff, which includes Bassett’s POTUS debating which American city to blow up as a preemptive gesture, but by its own irritating God’s-eye omniscience that rarely allows the suspense to spool out in the present.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
To boost the benefits without increasing sensitivity, it’s paired with bakuchiol, a popular retinol alternative that’s known to be much less irritating.
—Sarah Y. Wu, Glamour, 13 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
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Mow At Convenient Times There's nothing quite as annoying as enjoying a peaceful slumber on Saturday morning, only to wake up to the sound of a roaring lawn mower.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
8 June 2025
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There’s nothing more annoying than a show about waiting for something to happen.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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Instead of internalising every harsh comment, try reframing it as information about their inner world rather than a reflection of your worth.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
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Kilar’s bold moves and harsh comeuppance beg the question: In an age of uncertainty, should Hollywood look to innovative but potentially disruptive outsiders or elevate from within?—
Peter Kiefer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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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
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However, managing their ripeness can be a frustrating endeavor.—
Maryal Miller Carter,
USA Today,
13 June 2025
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This year’s mayoral race has so far been a strange, frustrating exercise.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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Everyone plodded along, trying desperately to avoid rough that hasn’t been cut and greens that never seem to lose their speed.—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2025
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More Getty Images Clark, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, had a rough week.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
Verb
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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
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The scraping sensations shouldn't be painful but may feel slightly uncomfortable.—
Carley Millhone,
Health,
27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The withdrawn teen obsessively draws dark spiders in class and shows a disturbing fixation on news reports of school shootings.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
6 June 2025
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His disturbing legacy drew the attention of filmmaker and former HBO executive Kary Antholis, who had followed the case for decades.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irritating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritating. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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