irritant

noun

ˈir-ə-tənt How to pronounce irritant (audio)
Definition of irritantnext
as in headache
something that is a source of irritation the whining child was a constant irritant to his long-suffering parents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of irritant The skin barrier is the outermost layer of the skin, acting as a protective shield against environmental irritants, bacteria, and moisture loss. — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025 Staying comfortable also means avoiding known allergens or irritants, blowing your nose gently as needed, and drinking plenty of fluids to keep your mucus thin. — Katie Bowles, SELF, 25 Feb. 2025 The vacuum includes two HEPA filters and a five-stage filtration system that is able to capture 99.9 percent of fine particles so that your air is as purified as possible and free of potential allergens and irritants. — Megan Schaltegger, People.com, 12 Feb. 2025 Common irritants include pentylene glycol, phenylpropanol, potassium hydroxide and fragrance. — Amanda Schupak, CNN, 12 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for irritant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritant
  1. headache
  2. nuisance
  3. thorn
  4. frustration
  5. annoyance
Noun
  • Skeptics point to volatility, security headaches, and the risk of distorting bitcoin markets if a major government holds too large a stake.
    — Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • These side effects include hot flashes, nausea, calf cramps, skin itching or burning, headaches, abdominal discomforts, and fatigue.18 6.
    — Emmanuella Ogbonna, Health, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of headache
Noun
  • While some travelers may view passing through the security line as a nuisance, TSA plays a critical role in the safety of traveling throughout the U.S. – and their work expands far beyond airports.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Along with claims of trespass and nuisance, Energy Transfer alleges that Greenpeace defamed the company to its financial backers.
    — Jennifer Safstrom, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of nuisance
Noun
  • Every detail aligned with the central motif of the rose—even the bag handles were accented with thorns.
    — Kristen Bateman, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Because of that, the switchbacks are mostly covered in chunks of wood and small branches, some with thorns.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of thorn
Noun
  • Many channeled their frustration by pivoting their allegiance to Moroney.
    — Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Often, the urge to control how things unfold leads to frustration, impulsive decisions and unnecessary stress.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of frustration
Noun
  • Even many non-conservatives believe Newsom seems to treat the governor’s job as an annoyance that gets in the way of more important business.
    — Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
  • In a 2023 survey of more than 1,500 travelers by Only Wanderlust, chatty seat neighbors were identified as a top 20 airplane annoyance.
    — Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of annoyance

Browse Nearby Words

irritant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Irritant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritant. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on irritant

Nglish: Translation of irritant for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All