English Meaning & Definitions
To annoy, provoke, or make someone slightly angry.
- “His constant humming began to irritate his coworkers.”
- “It irritates me when people don't clean up after themselves.”
To cause inflammation, redness, or soreness in a part of the body.
- “Harsh chemicals in the soap can irritate sensitive skin.”
- “The smoke from the campfire began to irritate her eyes.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “irritate”.
Derived from the Latin verb 'irritare', meaning 'to excite, provoke, or anger'. It entered Middle English in the mid-16th century, initially used in both physical contexts (to stimulate or excite a bodily organ) and psychological contexts (to annoy or vex).
Think of 'irritate' as 'ear-irritate'—when someone makes an annoying sound right in your ear, it irritates you.
Frequently Asked Questions About “irritate”
1. What is the meaning of “irritate” in English?
In English, irritate (verb) is defined as: “To annoy, provoke, or make someone slightly angry.”.
2. How do you use “irritate” in a sentence?
“His constant humming began to irritate his coworkers.”
3. What are English synonyms of “irritate”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “irritate”?
Derived from the Latin verb 'irritare', meaning 'to excite, provoke, or anger'. It entered Middle English in the mid-16th century, initially used in both physical contexts (to stimulate or excite a bodily organ) and psychological contexts (to annoy or vex).
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.