irritate Meaning, Definition & Usage

verb cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
annoy; rag; devil; bother; vex; nettle; rile; get to; nark; get at; gravel; chafe.
- Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me
- It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves
verb excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame
- Aspirin irritates my stomach
verb excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus
- irritate the glands of a leaf

See 1 st Irritant.

L. irritatus, p. p. of irritare. Of doubtful origin.

imperfect & past participle Irritated ; present participle & verbal noun Irritating

To increase the action or violence of; to heighten excitement in; to intensify; to stimulate.
Cold maketh the spirits vigorous and irritateth them. Bacon.
To excite anger or displeasure in; to provoke; to tease; to exasperate; to annoy; to vex; as, the insolence of a tyrant irritates his subjects.
Dismiss the man, nor irritate the god: Prevent the rage of him who reigns above. Pope.
(Physiol.) To produce irritation in; to stimulate; to cause to contract. See Irritation, n., 2.
(Med.) To make morbidly excitable, or oversensitive; to fret; as, the skin is irritated by friction; to irritate a wound by a coarse bandage. Syn. -- To fret; inflame; excite; provoke; tease; vex; exasperate; anger; incense; enrage. -- To Irritate, Provoke, Exasperate. These words express different stages of excited or angry feeling. Irritate denotes an excitement of quick and slightly angry feeling which is only momentary; as, irritated by a hasty remark. To provoke implies the awakening of some open expression of decided anger; as, a provoking insult. Exasperate denotes a provoking of anger at something unendurable. Whatever comes across our feelings irritates; whatever excites anger provokes; whatever raises anger to a high point exasperates. "Susceptible and nervous people are most easily irritated; proud people are quickly provoked; hot and fiery people are soonest exasperated." Crabb.