IRRITATING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does irritating mean? 

• IRRITATING (adjective)
  The adjective IRRITATING has 3 senses:

1. causing irritation or annoyance

2. (used of physical stimuli) serving to stimulate or excite

3. causing physical discomfort

  Familiarity information: IRRITATING used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• IRRITATING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Causing irritation or annoyance

Synonyms:

annoying; bothersome; galling; irritating; nettlesome; pesky; pestering; pestiferous; plaguey; plaguy; teasing; vexatious; vexing

Context example:

it is vexing to have to admit you are wrong

Similar:

disagreeable (not to your liking)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(used of physical stimuli) serving to stimulate or excite

Synonyms:

irritating; irritative

Context example:

an irritative agent

Similar:

stimulative (capable of arousing or accelerating physiological or psychological activity or response by a chemical agent)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Causing physical discomfort

Synonyms:

irritating; painful

Context example:

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

Similar:

uncomfortable (providing or experiencing physical discomfort)

 Context examples 

Exposure to this substance is highly irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract, induces nausea and vomiting and causes central nervous system depression.

(Ethylene oxide, NCI Thesaurus)

Ubinas’s frequent ash emissions are irritating the eyes and throats of thousands of local residents, especially children.

(Fresh lava arrives at Ubinas volcano, NASA)

Ammonia is irritating to the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and lungs.

(Ammonia, NCI Thesaurus)

I was jerked from swing to counter swing with irritating haste.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

This allows the jelly-like center of the disk to leak, irritating the nearby nerves.

(Herniated Disk, NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

It is a form of aspirin that gives off nitric oxide gas and is less irritating to the lining of the stomach than plain aspirin.

(NCX 4016, NCI Dictionary)

An inflammatory skin condition caused by direct contact between the skin and an irritating substance.

(Irritant Contact Dermatitis, NCI Thesaurus)

An inflammatory skin condition caused by direct contact between the skin and either an irritating substance or an allergen.

(Contact Dermatitis, NCI Thesaurus)

Inhalation exposure to its vapors is highly irritating to the eyes and lungs and may cause damage to the liver, kidney, heart and central nervous system, while dermal contact causes severe blistering.

(Dimethyl Sulfate, NCI Thesaurus)

A colorless, flammable, carcinogenic liquid with a highly irritating odor.

(Chloromethyl Methyl Ether, NCI Thesaurus)