irritate

/'iriteit/

Thân thiện

The loud noise began to irritate the sleeping cat.

Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To provoke impatience, anger, or mild displeasure: To cause someone to feel annoyed or slightly angry.
   • To cause inflammation or discomfort in a body part: To make a part of the body sore, inflamed, or uncomfortable.
   • To stimulate a biological response: To excite an organ or tissue to action.

Examples of Usage

• To cause annoyance:
  • Constant interruptions really irritate me during work.
  • It irritates her when people are late without calling.
• To cause physical discomfort:
  • The rough fabric irritated his skin.
  • Spicy food can irritate the stomach lining.
• To stimulate biologically:
  • The chemical irritates the nerve endings, causing a reaction.

Advanced Usage

• "to be irritated by/at something": To feel annoyed or inflamed because of something.
  • She was irritated by the constant noise.
  • His eyes were irritated at the smoky air.

Variants and Related Words

• Irritant (noun): Something that causes irritation.
  • Dust is a common irritant to the eyes and nose.
• Irritating (adjective): Causing annoyance or inflammation.
  • He has an irritating habit of tapping his pen.
  • This is an irritating rash.
• Irritation (noun): The state of being irritated; a source of annoyance.
  • She felt a growing sense of irritation.
  • Mosquito bites are a minor irritation.

Synonyms

• Annoy: To disturb or bother someone, often repeatedly.
• Vex: To cause annoyance or frustration.
• Provoke: To stimulate a reaction, often a negative one.
• Inflame: To cause redness, heat, and swelling in the body.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(This word is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meaning is typically conveyed directly.)

Related Idioms

• Rub someone the wrong way: To irritate or annoy someone.
  • His arrogant attitude really rubs me the wrong way.

Học thuật

Verb

1. excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus
   • irritate the glands of a leaf
2. excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame
   • Aspirin irritates my stomach
3. cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
   • Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me
   • It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves