irritate
gb/ˈɪɹɪtˌeɪt/ us/ˈɪɹɪtˌeɪt/
B1
English
~ 2000
idegesít, irritál
VERB
B1
1
idegesít
B1
Usage pattern:
to irritate [someone]
Her constant humming began to irritate everyone in the office.
Az állandó dúdolása kezdett mindenkit idegesíteni az irodában.
It irritates me when people interrupt.
Idegesít, amikor mások félbeszakítanak.
The delay in service really irritated the customers.
His sarcastic remarks irritated his colleagues.
The noise from the street irritated her all night.
Learner examples
Loud music can irritate me.
A hangos zene tud idegesíteni.
It irritates my brother when I take his things.
A fiútestvéremet idegesíti, amikor elveszem a dolgait.
Bad smells irritate me.
He irritates his teacher by talking too much.
The dog’s barking irritates the neighbors.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'irritate' with 'irritated'. 'I irritate' means you cause annoyance; 'I am irritated' means you feel annoyed.
Meaning
Make someone annoyed or impatient
Collocations
irritate someone
|slightly irritate
|really irritate
|irritate the public
|irritate your friends
Synonyms
annoy (More common in casual speech; slightly broader in use.)
|
bother (More informal and softer in tone.)
Antonyms
please (Means to make someone happy or satisfied.)
|
delight (Stronger than 'please', implies great joy.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make someone feel a little angry or not happy.
To cause someone to feel annoyed, impatient, or a little angry.
VERB
B1
2
irritál
B2
Usage pattern:
to irritate [part of the body]
The dust in the air irritated my eyes.
A levegőben lévő por irritálta a szememet.
Certain soaps can irritate sensitive skin.
Bizonyos szappanok irritálhatják az érzékeny bőrt.
Chlorine in the pool water irritated his throat.
The smoke irritated her lungs.
Wearing that fabric can irritate your skin.
Learner examples
Smoke can irritate my eyes.
A füst irritálhatja a szememet.
Hot water irritates my skin.
A forró víz irritálja a bőrömet.
Dust irritates my nose.
This cream may irritate your skin.
The sun can irritate my eyes.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this physical meaning with the emotional one; context usually makes it clear.
Meaning
Cause soreness or inflammation in body tissue
Collocations
irritate the skin
|irritate the eyes
|chemically irritate
|physically irritate
|irritate tissue
Synonyms
inflame (More medical and formal; often used for tissue.)
|
aggravate (In medical contexts, means to make a condition worse.)
Antonyms
soothe (Means to make pain or discomfort less.)
|
calm (In physical sense, means to reduce irritation or inflammation.)
Themes
health
|science
|body
Definition
To make part of the body hurt or feel uncomfortable.
To cause a part of the body, such as skin, eyes, or throat, to become sore, inflamed, or uncomfortable.
Grammar
Dictionary form
irritate
IPA
GB/ˈɪɹɪtˌeɪt/
US/ˈɪɹɪtˌeɪt/
Syllables & stress
ir - rit - ate (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (ir)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: irritate
- 3rd Person Singular: irritates
- Present Participle: irritating
- Past: irritated
Word family
Forms
Core family
irritation
noun B1
Related words
irritant
noun
irritable
adjective
irritably
adverb
Advanced or less common
irritability
noun
irritatingly
adverb
Expressions
get irritated with
1/ɡˈɛt ˈɪɹətˌeɪtɪd wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
Become annoyed with someone/something
To start feeling annoyed with someone or something.
Examples
- I often get irritated with drivers who don't use their turn signals.
- She gets irritated with her brother when he plays loud music.
irritate the hell out of
1/ˈɪɹɪtˌeɪt ðə hˈɛl ˈaʊt əv/
fixed phrase
informal
Annoy someone very much
To make someone very angry or annoyed.
Examples
- That sound is irritating the hell out of me!
- She irritates the hell out of her co-workers with her constant complaints.