Definitions
- Describing something that is tedious or boring. - Referring to a situation or task that is unpleasant or annoying. - Talking about a person's behavior or attitude that is tiresome or vexing.
- Describing something that causes annoyance or frustration. - Referring to a person's behavior or attitude that is bothersome or exasperating. - Talking about a physical sensation that is uncomfortable or unpleasant.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words describe something that causes discomfort or annoyance.
- 2Both words can be used to describe a person's behavior or attitude.
- 3Both words can be used to describe a physical sensation.
What is the difference?
- 1Intensity: Irksome is a milder form of annoyance compared to irritating, which implies a stronger level of discomfort.
- 2Duration: Irksome can refer to a situation or task that is tedious or boring, while irritating usually implies a shorter-term annoyance.
- 3Cause: Irksome often refers to a situation or task that is unpleasant, while irritating can refer to a wide range of causes, such as a person's behavior, physical sensation, or environmental factors.
- 4Usage: Irksome is less commonly used than irritating in everyday language.
- 5Connotation: Irksome can have a neutral connotation, while irritating can have a negative connotation.
Remember this!
Irksome and irritating are synonyms that describe something that causes discomfort or annoyance. However, irksome is milder and often refers to a tedious or unpleasant situation or task, while irritating implies a stronger level of discomfort and can refer to a wide range of causes, such as a person's behavior, physical sensation, or environmental factors.