: causing irritation
specifically
: tending to produce physical irritation
Examples of irritant in a Sentence
Noun
dust and other lung irritants
The delay was a minor irritant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jillian Kubala, Health, 26 May 2025
This unfortunate side effect is caused by irritants released from the onion cells when your knife slices through.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 16 May 2025
Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 27 May 2025
As a filmmaker, Aster is two parts visionary to one part irritant.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for irritant
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Noun
Inflammation is your immune system's natural response to irritants, injuries, or infections.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 26 May 2025
This unfortunate side effect is caused by irritants released from the onion cells when your knife slices through.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 16 May 2025
Adjective
The journey from Trump’s threat to slap 50% tariffs on EU imports – to his pause on that threat Sunday – reshapes the process for trade negotiations that had become a growing irritant inside the White House, according to two people familiar with the matter.
—Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 27 May 2025
As a filmmaker, Aster is two parts visionary to one part irritant.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for irritant
Cite this Entry
“Irritant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irritant. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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