Synonym Chooser

How is the word irritate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of irritate are exasperate, nettle, peeve, provoke, and rile. While all these words mean "to excite a feeling of anger or annoyance," irritate implies an often gradual arousing of angry feelings that may range from mere impatience to rage.

constant nagging that irritated me greatly

When would exasperate be a good substitute for irritate?

The meanings of exasperate and irritate largely overlap; however, exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.

his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions

When is nettle a more appropriate choice than irritate?

The words nettle and irritate can be used in similar contexts, but nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.

your pompous attitude nettled several people

When might peeve be a better fit than irritate?

While the synonyms peeve and irritate are close in meaning, peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.

a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie

When could provoke be used to replace irritate?

The words provoke and irritate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.

remarks made solely to provoke her

When can rile be used instead of irritate?

In some situations, the words rile and irritate are roughly equivalent. However, rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.

the new work schedules riled the employees

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 irritate It’s packed with strand-strengthening ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vegan collagen, and skips sulfates, parabens, and phthalates, which can be irritating to the scalp and hair. Malia Griggs, Glamour, 24 Apr. 2025 From serums to creams to other formulations, many over-the-counter products contain vitamin C, but research shows that high concentrations can irritate skin. Sierra Leone Starks, Allure, 18 Apr. 2025 Already irritated by Alesia, who is very distracted by Johnny’s departure, Tzarina feels hurt when Lara compares her to The Brady Bunch’s Jan, the weird sister to the perfect Marcia. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2025 Pairing some active ingredients can irritate the skin, and other combinations may reduce the effectiveness of the ingredients.1 1. Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for irritate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritate
Verb
  • Easily annoyed by noises like gum smacking or cereal slurping.
    Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
  • The controversy over attire comes just two months after Zelensky was criticized and called disrespectful by a reporter at the White House for not wearing a suit during his visit to the Oval Office, with reports suggesting that Trump was annoyed by Zelensky's choice of clothing.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Two years ago, Forte, also trained by Pletcher and owned by Repole, was scratched as the morning-line favorite.
    John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025
  • There's something about bright pink that scratches an itch or satisfies a craving in a way no other hair color can, and Megan Thee Stallion would probably agree.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • Travel delays don’t bother Blues The Blues got stuck in Winnipeg after Game 5 due to an issue with the plane that was bringing them back to St. Louis.
    Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 2 May 2025
  • Luckily, my dog doesn’t bother the plants—except the ones in the garden—but this plant stand gives me peace of mind anyway.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • The game would be scraped shortly after it was released, and editors would get busy trying to figure out how those pieces fit together.
    Daniel Larlham, ArsTechnica, 2 May 2025
  • Besides her grief and anger, Cora is broke, insecure, living with a religious aunt and working as a crime scene cleaner, scraping away human remains for money.
    Gabino Iglesias, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Curry is 37 and played Sunday with his right thumb wrapped in athletic tape, nursing an ailment that has bugged him all season.
    Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2025
  • And for me, nothing bugs me more than engaging in social activities to check the box rather than making meaningful connections.
    Time, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Even then, within weeks, Trump began to chafe at the end to his economic boom, though not to the same extent as some Republican governors.
    W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Set in the summer of 1969, 14-year-old Evie is chafing against her suburban, upper-middle class upbringing.
    Bailey Seybolt, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • No truly advanced society persecutes animals for sport.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 May 2025
  • During its reign of terror, the Ustaše regime persecuted and murdered hundreds of thousands of Serbs, Jews and Roma, as well as Croatians opposed to their rule.
    Larry Luxner, Sun Sentinel, 5 May 2025
Verb
  • Because that directly violated the no contact order, Hurd was arrested for stalking and aggravated harassment, and went back on trial.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Trump is particularly aggravated with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO — the world's biggest military alliance, which comprises 32 countries in Europe and North America.
    Michel Martin, NPR, 28 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Irritate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritate. Accessed 12 May. 2025.

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