irritant

adjective
ir·​ri·​tant | \ ˈir-ə-tənt How to pronounce irritant (audio) \

Definition of irritant

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: causing irritation specifically : tending to produce physical irritation

irritant

noun

Definition of irritant (Entry 2 of 2)

: something that irritates or excites

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Examples of irritant in a Sentence

Noun

dust and other lung irritants The delay was a minor irritant.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Another type of common allergic reaction or skin sensitivity that appears on the skin is known as irritant contact dermatitis. Jenn Sinrich, SELF, "12 Common Face 'Bumps' and How to Deal With Them," 31 May 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Levels of chlorine that are found to be significantly high can be an irritant to swimmers' eyes and skin. Julia Fair, Cincinnati.com, "How clean is your Northern Kentucky pool? We checked the health reports to see," 4 July 2019 Gnats are also an irritant for cattle and horses, and many owners are keeping their animals inside until the invasion passes. USA TODAY, "Arthur Ashe, missing Marilyn, pacifier-eating pup: News from around our 50 states," 21 June 2019 Grass can be a significant source of pollen and irritants, but there are solutions. Nicole Clausing, Sunset, "Got Allergies? These 10 Low-Pollen Plants Won’t Make You Sneeze," 22 Jan. 2018 The trade flap is an extra irritant in the troubled relationship between the two neighbors, which has long been strained by antagonisms left over from Japan’s brutal colonialization of the Korean peninsula in 1910-1945. Washington Post, "Japan likely to tighten SKorean export curbs in late Aug," 26 July 2019 Last fall, while many Texas Republicans continued to face pesky Libertarian opponents, Democrats had an off year from their main third-party irritant, the Greens. Dallas News, "Castro riding debate wave, redistricting, census rulings could affect Texas, Paxton prosecutor wants out," 2 July 2019 Residents said the irritant makes eyes water and chests tighten. Joe Mozingo, San Diego Union-Tribune, "The world’s largest pot farms, and how Santa Barbara opened the door," 12 June 2019 Why aren’t there any irritants in the room at Facebook? Eric Johnson, Recode, "Elites like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos think they’re being philanthropic. But they could do so much more.," 3 Oct. 2018 The Honest Company is another brand that makes detergent that's made without common irritants like synthetic fragrance and chemicals. Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "How to Tell If Your Laundry Detergent Is Messing With Your Skin," 15 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'irritant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of irritant

Adjective

1636, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1802, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for irritant

irritant

noun

English Language Learners Definition of irritant

: something that makes part of your body sore and painful
: something that is unpleasant or annoying : something that irritates you

irritant

noun
ir·​ri·​tant | \ ˈir-ə-tənt How to pronounce irritant (audio) \

Kids Definition of irritant

1 : something that is annoying
2 : something that causes soreness or sensitivity

irritant

adjective
ir·​ri·​tant | \ ˈir-ə-tənt How to pronounce irritant (audio) \

Medical Definition of irritant

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: causing irritation specifically : tending to produce inflammation

irritant

noun

Medical Definition of irritant (Entry 2 of 2)

: something that irritates or excites specifically : an agent by which irritation is produced a chemical irritant