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irritate Definition

ir·ri·tate (ir′i tāt′)

transitive verb irritated -·tat′ed, irritating -·tat′·ing

  1. to excite to anger; provoke; annoy; exasperate
  2. to cause (an organ or part of the body) to be inflamed or sore
  3. Physiol. to excite (an organ, muscle, etc.) to a characteristic action or function by a stimulus

Etymology: < L irritatus, pp. of irritare, to excite, stimulate, irritate < ir-, in- + IE base *erei-, to excite, agitate > roam

Related Forms:

irritate Synonyms

irritate

v.

  1. To bother

    provoke, annoy, exasperate, pester, peeve, nettle; see also bother 2, 3, disturb 2.

  2. To inflame

    redden, chafe, swell, erupt, pain, sting, burn, aggravate; see also hurt 4, itch 1.

irritate, the broadest in scope of these terms, may suggest temporary superficial impatience, or constant annoyance in, or an outburst of anger from, the person stirred to feeling their smugness irritated him; to provoke is to arouse strong annoyance or resentment, or, sometimes, vindictive anger provoked by an insult; nettle implies irritation that stings or piques rather than infuriates sly, nettling remarks; exasperate implies intense irritation such as exhausts one's patience or makes one lose one's self-control exasperating impudence; peeve, an informal word, means to cause to be annoyed, cross, or fretful he seems peeved about something

irritate Usage Examples

Object

  • lining: But such benefits may be outweighed by its potential to irritate the stomach lining or an existing stomach ulcer.
  • airway: Previous studies Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 substances - many of which irritate the airways.
  • skin: The discharge may irritate the skin around the anus.
  • stomach: Avoid salty, fatty or spicy foods that might irritate the stomach.
  • bladder: It is best to avoid large quantities of caffeine and alcohol as these irritate the bladder.