: causing irritation
specifically
: tending to produce physical irritation
Synonyms
Examples of irritant in a Sentence
Noun
dust and other lung irritants
The delay was a minor irritant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Brushing helps spread the oils their skin produces, keeping your kitty’s coat shiny and free of irritants.
—Lisa Bloch, The Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2024
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024
Chemical irritation of the skin, known as irritant dermatitis, can also lead to a chronic hangnail infection.1
A chronic hangnail infection usually affects more than one finger or toe at a time, takes longer to develop symptoms, and lasts longer.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for irritant 
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Noun
In some cases, irritants such as smoke, dust, or chemical fumes can inflame the bronchial tubes, causing acute bronchitis.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Brushing helps spread the oils their skin produces, keeping your kitty’s coat shiny and free of irritants.
—Lisa Bloch, The Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Public debate about the massacre has long been an irritant for South Korean conservatives, who have at times sought to downplay the government’s role or promoted conspiracy theories that the protests were an act of North Korean subterfuge.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024
Chemical irritation of the skin, known as irritant dermatitis, can also lead to a chronic hangnail infection.1
A chronic hangnail infection usually affects more than one finger or toe at a time, takes longer to develop symptoms, and lasts longer.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for irritant
Dictionary Entries Near irritant
Cite this Entry
“Irritant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irritant. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
irritant
1 of 2 adjective
ir·ri·tant
ˈir-ə-tənt 
: tending to produce anger, annoyance, impatience, soreness, or inflammation
especially
: tending to produce physical irritation
irritant
2 of 2 noun
: something that irritates
Medical Definition
irritant
1 of 2 adjective
ir·ri·tant
ˈir-ə-tənt
: causing irritation
specifically
: tending to produce inflammation
irritant
2 of 2 noun
: something that irritates or excites
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