irritating

/'iriteitiɳ/

Thân thiện

The constant buzzing of the mosquito was irritating.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Causing annoyance or impatience: Describes something that provokes mild anger, frustration, or displeasure.
   • Causing physical discomfort or inflammation: Describes something that causes a sore, itchy, or painful sensation on the body.

Usage

The word "irritating" is used to describe a person, thing, situation, or sensation that causes a negative reaction, either emotional (annoyance) or physical (discomfort). It is a common adjective in everyday speech.

Examples

• Causing annoyance:
  • The constant buzzing of the fly was extremely irritating.
  • He has an irritating habit of interrupting people.
• Causing physical discomfort:
  • This soap is irritating to my skin.
  • The smoke was irritating her eyes.

Advanced Usage

• "to find something irritating": A common construction expressing personal annoyance.
  • I find his constant jokes irritating.
• Used in formal or technical contexts (e.g., medical, chemical) to describe a causative agent of inflammation or discomfort.
  • The chemical is a known irritating substance to the respiratory tract.

Variants and Related Words

• Irritate (verb): To annoy someone or to cause physical discomfort.
  • Loud noises irritate me.
  • The wool sweater irritates my neck.
• Irritation (noun): The state or feeling of being annoyed, or a sore area on the body.
  • She felt a growing sense of irritation.
  • The rash caused a skin irritation.
• Irritant (noun): Something that causes irritation.
  • Pollen is a common irritant for allergy sufferers.

Synonyms

• Annoying: Causing slight anger or irritation.
• Bothersome: Causing trouble or annoyance.
• Vexing: Causing annoyance, frustration, or worry.
• Galling: Causing intense irritation or resentment.
• Nettlesome: Causing annoyance or difficulty.

Antonyms

• Soothing: Having a calming, comforting, or relieving effect.
• Pleasant: Giving a sense of enjoyment or satisfaction.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• An irritating delay: A delay that causes frustration.
  • We experienced an irritating delay at the airport.
• Like an irritating itch: Used figuratively to describe a persistent, annoying problem or thought.
  • The unsolved problem was like an irritating itch at the back of his mind.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. causing physical discomfort; they can be very painful"
   • bites of black flies are more than irritating
2. (used of physical stimuli) serving to stimulate or excite
   • an irritative agent
3. causing irritation or annoyance
   • tapping an annoying rhythm on his glass with his fork
   • aircraft noise is particularly bothersome near the airport
   • found it galling to have to ask permission
   • an irritating delay
   • nettlesome paperwork
   • a pesky mosquito
   • swarms of pestering gnats
   • a plaguey newfangled safety catch
   • a teasing and persistent thought annoyed him
   • a vexatious child
   • it is vexing to have to admit you are wrong

Từ đồng nghĩa

• painful
• irritative