irritate

[ˈɪr.ɪ.teɪt]

irritate Definition

  • 1to make someone feel annoyed or impatient
  • 2to cause inflammation or discomfort in a part of the body

Using irritate: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "irritate" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    The constant noise from the construction site irritated the neighbors.

  • Example

    Her behavior really irritates me.

  • Example

    The chemicals in the soap can irritate the skin.

irritate Synonyms and Antonyms

Antonyms for irritate

Phrases with irritate

  • to annoy someone very much

    Example

    His constant tapping on the desk was irritating the hell out of me.

  • to cause redness, itching, or discomfort on the skin

    Example

    Some fabrics can irritate the skin and cause rashes.

  • to cause redness, itching, or discomfort in the eyes

    Example

    The smoke from the fire was irritating my eyes.

Origins of irritate

from Latin 'irritatus', past participle of 'irritare', meaning 'excite, provoke'

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Summary: irritate in Brief

The verb 'irritate' [ˈɪr.ɪ.teɪt] means to make someone feel annoyed or impatient, or to cause inflammation or discomfort in a part of the body. It is often used to describe annoying behavior, such as 'Her behavior really irritates me,' or physical discomfort, such as 'The chemicals in the soap can irritate the skin.' Synonyms include 'annoy' and 'exasperate,' while antonyms include 'calm' and 'soothe.'

How do native speakers use this expression?