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What is another word for irritate?

Need synonyms for irritate? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Contexts ▼

To make (someone) annoyed or a little angry

To cause inflammation to (one's skin)

To aggravate, especially a wound

To make sore by rubbing against

To tease, typically in a good-natured way

To speak to or treat with disrespect or scornful abuse

To make passionate, or to instill passion in

To cause a tingling sensation in

… more ▼

Verb

▲

To make (someone) annoyed or a little angry

antagonise^UK

antagonize^US

drive you up the wall

give someone the hump

rub you up the wrong way

drive round the twist

make somebody's hackles rise

get up someone's nose

agonize^US

agonise^UK

ruffle one's feathers

put someone's nose out of joint

rattle someone's cage

hurt somebody's feelings

tantalize^US

tantalise^UK

work up

breathe down someone's neck

set one's teeth on edge

be a thorn in someone's flesh

be a pain in the neck

make somebody's blood boil

henpeck

give offence to

be a thorn in someone's side

get on the wrong side of

demoralize^US

scandalize^US

make things hot for someone

make it hot for someone

start

make an enemy of somebody

make sore

lose one's temper

breath down someone's neck

cut

rattle someone's chain

pressurize^US

scandalise^UK

victimize^US

pressurise^UK

stroke someone's hair the wrong way

demoralise^UK

victimise^UK

push someon's buttons

set someone's teeth on edge

bring pressure to bear on

set on

take a rise out of

mess with someone's head

sweat out

weigh heavily on one's mind

be like a red rag to a bull

criticize^US

tread on someone's toes

lie heavy on someone's mind

weigh heavy on someone's mind

lose patience

drive you out of your mind

drive you to distraction

drive you round the twist

make livid

drive you round the bend

make severe demands on

appall^US

weigh heavily on someone's mind

be a weight on someone's mind

push someone's buttons

appal^UK

exhaust someone's patience

get on someone's case

jaundice

make bitter

make nervous

put someone off their stroke

put into a flap

make resentful

criticise^UK

throw into a tizz

cause someone to lose their composure

eat away at one's mind

traumatize^US

traumatise^UK

set someone back on their heels

terrorize^US

knock the stuffing out of

put out of countenance

terrorise^UK

put the wind up

bowl over

put someone off their stride

let down

make sad

make someone scratch their head

make one's heart bleed

paralyse^UK

paralyze^US

cause to be at a stand

bring tears to your eyes

break someone's heart

scare the bejesus out of

give someone the blues

take the wind out of your sails

galvanize^US

stop someone in their tracks

galvanise^UK

scare someone out of their wits

scare the living daylights out of

put the fear of God into

fill with loathing

throw a curve

throw into a blue funk

make one's hair stand on end

make one's flesh creep

go to your head

blow your mind

break someone's spirit

pull the rug from under

dizzy

pull the rug out from under

knock for a loop

balk^US

slap

baulk^UK

knock the wind out of

make someone's stomach rise

make someone laugh on the other side of their face

make someone laugh out of the other side of their mouth

be in a flap

throw into a panic

send chills down the spine of

frighten to death

frighten the living daylights out of

wilder

raise someone's eyebrows

shake out of your complacency

hit like ton of bricks

completely surprise

make someone's blood run cold

frighten out of your wits

fill with terror

cause to lose your bearings

harsh someone's mellow

make someone's heart bleed

shatter the illusions of

burst bubble

dampen the spirits of

make someone's skin crawl

make someone feel sick

dampen someone's spirit

invigorate^US

make someone want to throw up

make someone feel nauseous

give someone goose pimples

fill with consternation

chill to the marrow

give someone the heebie-jeebies

energize^US

be on pins and needles

have ants in one's pants

be like a cat on hot bricks

be antsy

be anxious

scare off

cause to feel emotional strain

overdo

cause to feel mental strain

make one's blood run cold

make someone jump out of their skin

scare someone half to death

energise^UK

envigorate^UK

take your breath away

hit like a ton of bricks

have an adverse effect on

more ❯

“Their loud voices were beginning to irritate me, and I could feel my headache sharpen.”

Verb

▲

To cause inflammation to (one's skin)

sensitise^UK

sensitize^US

sting

swell

itch

“Air that is too dry can irritate the lining of your nose, throat, and sinuses.”

Verb

▲

To aggravate, especially a wound

add fuel to the flames

rub salt in a wound

make matters worse

to make matters worse

heat up

feed the fire

rub salt in the wounds

rub salt into the wound

twist the knife in the wound

rub salt in the wound

put salt on the wound

pour gasoline on the fire

emphasize^US

emphasise^UK

more ❯

“Antiseptics may actually irritate the wound or cause an allergic reaction.”

Verb

▲

To make sore by rubbing against

oxidize^US

oxidise^UK

vaporize^US

vaporise^UK

more ❯

“Years ago, nuns would wear rough clothes, and the fabric would irritate their skins.”

Verb

▲

To tease, typically in a good-natured way

satirise^UK

satirize^US

make a laughing-stock

make someone a laughing stock

more ❯

Verb

▲

To speak to or treat with disrespect or scornful abuse

dishonor^US

dishonour^UK

treat disrespectfully

call names

hurt somebody's feelings

satirize^US

satirise^UK

drag through the mire

stigmatize^US

scandalize^US

scandalise^UK

stigmatise^UK

run a smear campaign against

blacken someone's name

blacken the character of

demoralise^UK

demoralize^US

traumatize^US

traumatise^UK

make cutting remarks about

disfavor^US

disfavour^UK

ruin the reputation of

bring shame upon

put in a bad light

destroy someone's credibility

bring into disfavour

damage someone's reputation

attack somebody's dignity

defame someone's character

sully someone's reputation

turn up one's nose at

look down one's nose at

be contemptuous about

make someone a laughing stock

expose to ridicule

poke borack

make a laughing-stock

play a practical joke

more ❯

Verb

▲

To make passionate, or to instill passion in

galvanise^UK

galvanize^US

invigorate^US

energize^US

envigorate^UK

energise^UK

incentivize^US

revitalize^US

incentivise^UK

revitalise^UK

fire the imagination of

instil^UK

instill^US

give someone a charge

give a new lease of life to

fire the enthusiasm of

give a shot in the arm to

mobilize^US

mobilise^UK

invoke

jar

magnetize^US

magnetise^UK

get one started

act as a impetus to

act as a incentive to

give a shot in the arm

take your breath away

fire someone's imagination

take a turn for the better

stiffen the resolve of

grab

juice

breathe new life into

more ❯

Verb

▲

To cause a tingling sensation in

make something tingle

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What is another word for irritate?

Need synonyms for irritate? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Related Words and Phrases

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