: causing irritation
specifically
: tending to produce physical irritation
Synonyms
Examples of irritant in a Sentence
Noun
dust and other lung irritants
The delay was a minor irritant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Moriarty said both irritants are commonly used by law enforcement agencies as a non-lethal option for subduing combative and violent suspects.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 22 May 2024
Some attackers sprayed protesters with chemical irritants, hit them with wooden boards, punched and kicked them and shot fireworks into the crowd of students and supporters huddled behind umbrellas and wooden planks, attempting to stay safe.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 16 May 2024
Adjective
Quite acrobatic for such a large clown, Adam can spin and roll his way around to fight the player while also using his fire breath, hunting knives, and balloons filled with an irritant gas in combat.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 24 May 2024
One issue was that the continual expansion of the settlements was becoming an irritant in U.S.-Israel relations.
—Mark Mazzetti Jonathan Davis Anna Diamond David Mason, New York Times, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for irritant
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'irritant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near irritant
Cite this Entry
“Irritant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irritant. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
irritant
1 of 2 adjective
ir·ri·tant
ˈir-ə-tənt
: tending to produce anger, annoyance, impatience, soreness, or inflammation
especially
: tending to produce physical irritation
irritant
2 of 2 noun
: something that irritates
Medical Definition
irritant
1 of 2 adjective
ir·ri·tant
ˈir-ə-tənt
: causing irritation
specifically
: tending to produce inflammation
irritant
2 of 2 noun
: something that irritates or excites
More from Merriam-Webster on irritant
Nglish: Translation of irritant for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of irritant for Arabic Speakers
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