IRRITATES Synonyms: 109 Similar and Opposite Words

irritates

verb

present tense third-person singular of irritate

as in annoys

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in scratches

to make sore by continued rubbing new shoes usually irritate my feet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 irritates Patients may be advised to use gentle, fragrance-free products, keep the area moisturized, and avoid anything that further irritates the skin. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 Knowing that Madame Lalouette’s sales numbers are too high to fire her, Carla attempts to transfer Madame Morel to a different department — a move that irritates her superiors and highlights her weakness. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026 With contact dermatitis, a product like a soap or chemical irritates the skin or causes an allergic reaction, leading to symptoms like itching, discoloration, swelling, or even blisters. — Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026 The capsaicin in hot peppers irritates pests and deters them from feeding on plants. — Farima Ferguson, The Spruce, 15 July 2026 Anyone who has sat through a mandatory team-building exercise knows the difference between a ritual that binds and a program that irritates. — Julia Dhar, Time, 11 July 2026 If someone is in your life long enough, they’re bound to do something that irritates you—and you’re bound to do something that irritates them. — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026 Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing. — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 16 May 2026 The impish half-smile that irritates opponents eventually returns to his face, though. — Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritates

Verb

What annoys me is that this whole thing is called Roaring 20th, so why was there not a flapper and Great Gatsby theme?

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
That very same thing is what annoys Liz about Charles 500 years later.

— Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of annoys

Verb

For his part, Fields chafes at the suggestion that his group simply does the bidding of wealthy donors.

— Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 13 Sep. 2026
The nurturing Moon travels through your 6th House of Work and conjoins edgy Chiron there, highlighting a small habit that chafes, then pointing you toward relief.

— Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of chafes

Verb

China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.

— Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025

Definition of persecutes

Verb

Smullen’s campaign launched an anti-Constantino website that excoriates him for, among many other things, his past registration as a Democrat.

— Michael Hill, Fortune, 12 June 2026
Woodcutters sets forth the musings of a narrator sitting in an armchair at a dinner party who excoriates the literary awards establishments of his native land (and by extension all lands that are host to a robust bourgeoisie).

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026

Definition of excoriates

Verb

Irwin is uncertain if the second infestation of bed bugs last weekend were ones that weren’t caught the first time, or if a person brought new bed bugs in.

— Susan Bromley, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Not too much bugs him, but he sometimes is annoyed by his baby sister and doesn’t trust people who put pineapple on their pizza.

— Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of bugs

Verb

Their situation becomes critical when one of the adolescent children, Elia (Vanessa Ceban), is observed by a teacher to have a mark on her face and scrapes on her back.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026
Amazon alleged that Muse stores customer credentials and scrapes account data, among other issues.

— Caleigh Keating, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of scrapes

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irritated

irritates

irritating

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“Irritates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritates. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of irritates

verb

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