· 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"

Synonym(s): annoy, rag, get_to, bother, get_at, rile, nark, nettle, gravel, vex, chafe, devil

Hypernym(s): displease

· excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame; "Aspirin irritates my stomach"

Hypernym(s): worsen, aggravate, exacerbate, exasperate

Antonym(s): soothe

· 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"

Hypernym(s): stimulate, excite

· 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"

Synonym(s): annoying, bothersome, galling, nettlesome, pesky, pestering, pestiferous, plaguy, plaguey, teasing, vexatious, vexing

· (used of physical stimuli) serving to stimulate or excite; "an irritative agent"

Synonym(s): irritative

· causing physical discomfort; "bites of black flies are more than irritating; they can be very painful"

Synonym(s): painful