irritate

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: ir=ri=tate

CIDE DICTIONARY

irritate, v. t. [See 1 st Irritant.].

 To render null and void.  Abp. Bramhall.  [1913 Webster]

irritate, v. t. [L. irritatus, p. p. of irritare. Of doubtful origin.].

•  To increase the action or violence of; to heighten excitement in; to intensify; to stimulate.  [1913 Webster]

  "Cold maketh the spirits vigorous and irritateth them."  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "Dismiss the man, nor irritate the god:
  Prevent the rage of him who reigns above."  [1913 Webster]
•  To produce irritation in; to stimulate; to cause to contract. See Irritation, n., 2.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.

irritate, a. 

 Excited; heightened.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

irritate, v.tr.
1 excite to anger; annoy.
2 stimulate discomfort or pain in (a part of the body).
3 Biol. stimulate (an organ) to action.

Derivative

irritatedly adv. irritating adj. irritatingly adv. irritation n. irritative adj. irritator n.

Etymology

L irritare irritat-

THESAURUS

irritate

abrade, afflict, affront, agent provocateur, aggravate, agonize, ail, alienate, amplify, anger, annoy, arouse, augment, bite, bother, bristle, bug, build up, burn, burn up, chafe, come between, convulse, crucify, cut, damage, deepen, deteriorate, dilapidate, disaffect, distress, disunite, divide, embitter, endamage, enhance, enlarge, enrage, estrange, exacerbate, exasperate, excruciate, exercise, fan the flame, fester, fluster, fret, gall, get, give pain, gnaw, grate, grate on, gravel, grind, gripe, grit, harass, harm, harrow, harry, hassle, heat up, hector, heighten, hot up, huff, hurt, impair, incense, increase, inflame, inflict pain, injure, intensify, irk, jangle the nerves, jar on, kill by inches, lacerate, light the fuse, magnify, make acute, make trouble, make worse, martyr, martyrize, miff, nag, needle, nettle, nip, offend, pain, peeve, pester, pick at, pick on, pierce, pinch, pique, pit against, plague, prick, prolong the agony, provoke, put back, put on edge, put out, put to torture, rack, rankle, rasp, rile, roil, rub, ruffle, separate, set against, set at odds, set at variance, set on, set on edge, set up, sharpen, sic on, sour, sow dissension, stab, sting, stir the blood, stir up, stir up trouble, torment, torture, trouble, try, tweak, twist, vex, weaken, work up, worry, worsen, wound, wring

ROGET THESAURUS

irritate

Excitation

VB excite, affect, touch, move, impress, strike, interest, animate, inspire, impassion, smite, infect, stir the blood, fire the blood, warm the blood, set astir, wake, awake, awaken, call forth, evoke, provoke, raise up, summon up, call up, wake up, blow up, get up, light up, raise, get up the steam, rouse, arouse, stir, fire, kindle, enkindle, apply the torch, set on fire, inflame, stimulate, exsuscitate, inspirit, spirit up, stir up, work up, pique, infuse life into, give new life to, bring new blood, introduce new blood, quicken, sharpen, whet, work upon, hurry on, give a fillip, put on one's mettle, fan the fire, fan the flame, blow the coals, stir the embers, fan into a flame, foster, heat, warm, foment, raise to a fever heat, keep up, keep the pot boiling, revive, rekindle, rake up, rip up, stir the feelings, play on the feelings, come home to the feelings, touch a string, touch a chord, touch the soul, touch the heart, go to one's heart, penetrate, pierce, go through one, touch to the quick, possess the soul, pervade the soul, penetrate the soul, imbrue the soul, absorb the soul, affect the soul, disturb the soul, absorb, rivet the attention, sink into the mind, sink into the heart, prey on the mind, distract, intoxicate, overwhelm, overpower, bouleverser, upset, turn one's head, fascinate, enrapture, agitate, perturb, ruffle, fluster, shake, disturb, startle, shock, stagger, give one a shock, give one a turn, strike all of a heap, stun, astound, electrify, galvanize, petrify, irritate, sting, cut to the heart, cut to the quick, try one's temper, fool to the top of one's bent, pique, infuriate, madden, make one's blood boil, lash into fury, be excited, flush up, flare up, catch the infection, thrill, mantle, work oneself up, seethe, boil, simmer, foam, fume, flame, rage, rave, run mad.

Painfulness

VB cause pain, occasion pain, give pain, bring pain, induce pain, produce pain, create pain, inflict pain, pain, hurt, wound, pinch, prick, gripe, pierce, lancinate, cut, hurt the feelings, wound the feelings, grate upon the feelings, grate upon the nerves, jar upon the feelings, wring the heart, pierce the heart, lacerate the heart, break the heart, rend the heart, make the heart bleed, tear the heart strings, rend the heart strings, draw tears from the eyes, sadden, make unhappy, plunge into sorrow, grieve, fash, afflict, distress, cut up, cut to the heart, displease, annoy, incommode, discompose, trouble, disquiet, faze, feaze, feeze, disturb, cross, perplex, molest, tease, tire, irk, vex, mortify, wherret, worry, plague, bother, pester, bore, pother, harass, harry, badger, heckle, bait, beset, infest, persecute, importune, wring, harrow, torment, torture, bullyrag, put to the rack, put to the question, break on the wheel, rack, scarify, cruciate, crucify, convulse, agonize, barb the dart, plant a dagger in the breast, plant a thorn in one's side, irritate, provoke, sting, nettle, try the patience, pique, fret, rile, tweak the nose, chafe, gall, sting to the quick, wound to the quick, cut to the quick, aggrieve, affront, enchafe, enrage, ruffle, sour the temper, give offense, maltreat, bite, snap at, assail, smite, sicken, disgust, revolt, nauseate, disenchant, repel, offend, shock, stink in the nostrils, go against the stomach, turn the stomach, make one sick, set the teeth on edge, go against the grain, grate on the ear, stick in one's throat, stick in one's gizzard, rankle, gnaw, corrode, horrify, appal, appall, freeze the blood, make the flesh creep, make the hair stand on end, make the blood curdle, make the blood run cold, make one shudder, haunt the memory, weigh on the heart, prey on the heart, weigh on the mind, prey on the mind, weigh on the spirits, prey on the spirits, bring one's gray hairs with sorrow to the grave, add a nail to one's coffin.

Violence

VB be violent, run high, ferment, effervesce, romp, rampage, go on a rampage, run wild, run amuck, run riot, break the peace, rush, tear, rush headlong, rush foremost, raise a storm, make a riot, rough house, riot, storm, wreak, bear down, ride roughshod, out Herod, Herod, spread like wildfire (person), explode, make a row, kick up a row, boil, boil over, fume, foam, come on like a lion, bluster, rage, roar, fly off the handle, go bananas, go ape, blow one's top, blow one's cool, flip one's lid, hit the ceiling, hit the roof, fly into a rage (anger), break out, fly out, burst out, bounce, explode, go off, displode, fly, detonate, thunder, blow up, crump, flash, flare, burst, shock, strain, break open, force open, prize open, render violent, sharpen, stir up, quicken, excite, incite, annoy, urge, lash, stimulate, turn on, irritate, inflame, kindle, suscitate, foment, accelerate, aggravate, exasperate, exacerbate, convulse, infuriate, madden, lash into fury, fan the flame, add fuel to the flame, pour oil on the fire, oleum addere camino, explode, let fly, fly off, discharge, detonate, set off, detonize, fulminate.

Hate

VB hate, detest, abominate, abhor, loathe, recoil at, shudder at, shrink from, view with horror, hold in abomination, revolt against, execrate, scowl, disrelish, owe a grudge, bear spleen, bear a grudge, bear malice, conceive an aversion to, take a dislike to, excite hatred, provoke hatred, be hateful, stink in the nostrils, estrange, alienate, repel, set against, sow dissension, set by the ears, envenom, incense, irritate, rile, horrify, roil.

Resentment

VB resent, take amiss, take ill, take to heart, take offense, take umbrage, take huff, take exception, take in ill part, take in bad part, take in dudgeon, ne pas entendre raillerie, breathe revenge, cut up rough, fly into a rage, fall into a rage, get into a rage, fly into a passion, bridle up, bristle up, froth up, fire up, flare up, open the vials of one's wrath, pour out the vials of one's wrath, pout, knit the brow, frown, scowl, lower, snarl, growl, gnarl, gnash, snap, redden, color, look black, look black as thunder, look daggers, bite one's thumb, show one's teeth, grind one's teeth, champ the bit, champ at the bit, chafe, mantle, fume, kindle, fly out, take fire, boil, boil over, boil with indignation, boil with rage, rage, storm, foam, vent one's rage, vent one's spleen, lose one's temper, stand on one's hind legs, stamp the foot, stamp with rage, quiver with rage, swell with rage, foam with rage, burst with anger, raise Cain, have a fling at, bear malice, cause anger, raise anger, affront, offend, give offense, give umbrage, anger, hurt the feelings, insult, discompose, fret, ruffle, nettle, huff, pique, excite, irritate, stir the blood, stir up bile, sting, sting to the quick, rile, provoke, chafe, wound, incense, inflame, enrage, aggravate, add fuel to the flame, fan into a flame, widen the breach, envenom, embitter, exasperate, infuriate, kindle wrath, stick in one's gizzard, rankle, hit on the raw, rub on the raw, sting on the raw, strike on the raw, put out of countenance, put out of humor, put one's monkey up, put one's back up, raise one's gorge, raise one's dander, raise one's choler, work up into a passion, make one's blood boil, make the ears tingle, throw, into a ferment, madden, drive one mad, lash into fury, lash into madness, fool to the top of one's bent, set by the ears, bring a hornet's nest about one's ears.