Search Result for "irritating": 
Wordnet 3.0

ADJECTIVE (3)

1. causing irritation or annoyance;
- Example: "tapping an annoying rhythm on his glass with his fork"
- Example: "aircraft noise is particularly bothersome near the airport"
- Example: "found it galling to have to ask permission"
- Example: "an irritating delay"
- Example: "nettlesome paperwork"
- Example: "a pesky mosquito"
- Example: "swarms of pestering gnats"
- Example: "a plaguey newfangled safety catch"
- Example: "a teasing and persistent thought annoyed him"
- Example: "a vexatious child"
- Example: "it is vexing to have to admit you are wrong"
[syn: annoying, bothersome, galling, irritating, nettlesome, pesky, pestering, pestiferous, plaguy, plaguey, teasing, vexatious, vexing]

2. (used of physical stimuli) serving to stimulate or excite;
- Example: "an irritative agent"
[syn: irritating, irritative]

3. causing physical discomfort;
- Example: "bites of black flies are more than irritating they can be very painful";
[syn: irritating, painful]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

irritating \irritating\ adj. 1. causing annoyance. Syn: annoying, galling, chafing, nettlesome, pesky, pestiferous, pestilent, plaguy, plaguey, teasing, vexatious, vexing. [WordNet 1.5 +PJC] 2. causing irritation of living tissue; -- used of physical stimuli. Syn: irritant, irritative. [WordNet 1.5 +PJC] 3. causing pain or physical discomfort; as, an irritating burr under his stocking. Syn: painful. [WordNet 1.5]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Irritate \Ir"ri*tate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Irritated; p. pr. & vb. n. Irritating.] [L. irritatus, p. p. of irritare. Of doubtful origin.] [1913 Webster] 1. 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. --Bacon. [1913 Webster] 2. 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. --Pope. [1913 Webster] 3. (Physiol.) To produce irritation in; to stimulate; to cause to contract. See Irritation, n., 2. [1913 Webster] 4. (Med.) 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. Usage: To Irritate, Provoke, Exasperate. These words express different stages of excited or angry feeling. Irritate denotes an excitement of quick and slightly angry feeling which is only momentary; as, irritated by a hasty remark. To provoke implies the awakening of some open expression of decided anger; as, a provoking insult. Exasperate denotes a provoking of anger at something unendurable. Whatever comes across our feelings irritates; whatever excites anger provokes; whatever raises anger to a high point exasperates. "Susceptible and nervous people are most easily irritated; proud people are quickly provoked; hot and fiery people are soonest exasperated." --Crabb. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

irritating adj 1: 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" [syn: annoying, bothersome, galling, irritating, nettlesome, pesky, pestering, pestiferous, plaguy, plaguey, teasing, vexatious, vexing] 2: (used of physical stimuli) serving to stimulate or excite; "an irritative agent" [syn: irritating, irritative] 3: causing physical discomfort; "bites of black flies are more than irritating; they can be very painful" [syn: irritating, painful]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

69 Moby Thesaurus words for "irritating": acerbic, acid, acrid, aggravating, aggravative, annoying, asperous, astringent, biting, bitter, bothering, bothersome, caustic, chafing, contentious, cutting, disturbing, escharotic, exasperating, exasperative, fretting, galling, grating, grinding, harassing, harsh, importunate, importune, irking, irksome, irritant, irritative, keen, mordant, nose-tickling, penetrating, pesky, pestering, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, piercing, piquant, plaguesome, plaguey, plaguing, poignant, provocative, provoking, pungent, rasping, rough, scratchy, severe, sharp, sour, stinging, teasing, tiresome, tormenting, trenchant, troublesome, troubling, vexatious, vexing, vitriolic, wearisome, worrisome, worrying