Standard Lemma guide

irritating

adj · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH1 R AH0 T EY2 T IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Causing irritation, annoyance or pain.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • irritating bureaucracy
  • irritating music
  • irritating person
  • irritating sounds

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Stimulating or exciting a response.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

present participle and gerund of irritate

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

causing irritation or annoyance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • tapping an annoying rhythm on his glass with his fork
  • aircraft noise is particularly bothersome near the airport
  • found it galling to have to ask permission
  • an irritating delay
  • nettlesome paperwork
  • a pesky mosquito
  • swarms of pestering gnats
  • a plaguey newfangled safety catch
  • a teasing and persistent thought annoyed him
  • a vexatious child
  • it is vexing to have to admit you are wrong

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: annoying, bothersome, galling, nettlesome, pesky, pestering, pestiferous, plaguy, plaguey, teasing, vexatious, vexing

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

causing physical discomfort

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • bites of black flies are more than irritating; they can be very painful

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: painful

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

(used of physical stimuli) serving to stimulate or excite

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an irritative agent

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: irritative

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

24 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: qıcıqlandırıcı — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Central Bikol: makaurag — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Catalan: irritant — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Dutch: irritant — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Esperanto: iritanta — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Finnish: ärsyttävä — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Finnish: harmittava — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • French: énervant — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Galician: irritante — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Greek: εκνευριστικός (eknevristikós) — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Latin: molestus — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Māori: hīrawerawe — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Norwegian: irritende — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Norwegian: irriterende — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Polish: irytujący — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Russian: раздража́ющий (razdražájuščij) — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Spanish: irritante — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Swedish: irriterande — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Tagalog: nakakainis — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Tày: cài coọc — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Thai: คาย (kaai) — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Ukrainian: дратівли́вий (drativlývyj) — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Vietnamese: ngứa — causing irritation, annoyance or pain
  • Swedish: irriterande — Stimulates or exciting a response