as in headaches
something that is a source of irritation
the whining child was a constant irritant to his long-suffering parents
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of irritants
So mascaras with nourishing ingredients like vitamin E and hyaluronic acid, and formulated without drying alcohol or irritants like parabens, will be your new go-tos.
—
Shalwah Evans, Glamour, 31 Dec. 2025
This filtration system ensures that your floors are getting their most thorough clean, while also ridding your space of irritants like dust that can cause allergy flare-ups.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 23 Dec. 2025
In that confrontation, federal agents also deployed chemical irritants on demonstrators.
—Stephen Swanson, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
The program was adapted to emphasize volunteers’ safety, advising them to wear more protective gear and consider bringing goggles or water to flush chemical irritants out of their eyes.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
Mucus is a natural slippery substance made in the body that protects against bacteria, viruses, and irritants, and keeps passages moist.
—Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 29 Nov. 2025
Research finds that because women have smaller bronchial tubes and lungs than men, inhaling irritants like tobacco smoke and pollutants can be more damaging.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 20 Nov. 2025
Another standout feature is its CertiPur-US and Greenguard Gold certifications, which mean it’s made without harmful materials and won’t release irritants that can trigger allergies.
—Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
It was formulated free of typical eye irritants, including parabens, formaldehydes, phthalates, mineral oil, and contained less than one percent synthetic fragrance.
—Essence, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritants
Noun
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From plane seatback organizers to carry-on cup holders, these accessories can save you from boarding delays and other headaches—starting at $9.—
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The decades-old technology struggles to account for last-minute payroll changes and that can create all sorts of headaches for employees and departments alike.—
Noun
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In Milwaukee, nuisances include loud music, loitering and littering.—
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While those invaders are mainly nuisances, cockroaches are a different story.—
Noun
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There are no speakers in the songs of MJ Lenderman other than MJ Lenderman, whose diffidence and exhaustion are in all-too-perfect lockstep with the psychic frustrations of his listeners.—
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After the third giveaway happened with six seconds left in the second quarter, Schaefer expressed his frustrations with his trademark jacket removal.—
Noun
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Use clean pruners to trim away shoots, thorns, or roots along the soil and to help maintain the tree’s size.—
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Even delicate feline nostrils and curved claws that could scratch like thorns won her undying admiration.—
Noun
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Congress used to debate authorizing such things, but with the GOP House and Senate now reduced to glorified White House staff offices, Trump need not trifle with such annoyances.—
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Kiehl’s Hydration 2 The Max Set Winter can bring its fair share of skin annoyances and complications—namely, dry skin.—
Noun
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Fire access, water, traffic, parks and open space are treated like inconveniences, even as existing infrastructure already strains to keep up.—
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Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, petitioned for a pardon in 2024, pointing to how his convictions had created logistical issues and inconveniences in worldwide touring.—
Cite this Entry
“Irritants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritants. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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