irritating

(verb) cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations. Synonyms: annoy, rag, get to, bother, get at, irritate, rile, nark, nettle, gravel, vex, chafe, devil. Examples: "Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me." "It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves."

(verb) excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame. Synonyms: irritate. Example: "Aspirin irritates my stomach."

(verb) excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus. Synonyms: irritate. Example: "Irritate the glands of a leaf."

(adj) causing irritation or annoyance. Synonyms: annoying, bothersome, galling, nettlesome, pesky, pestering, pestiferous, plaguy, plaguey, teasing, vexatious, vexing. Examples: "Tapping an annoying rhythm on his glass with his fork." "Aircraft noise is particularly bothersome near the airport." "Found it galling to have to ask permission." "An irritating delay." "Nettlesome paperwork." "A pesky mosquito." "Swarms of pestering gnats." "A plaguey newfangled safety catch." "A teasing and persistent thought annoyed him." "A vexatious child." "It is vexing to have to admit you are wrong."

(adj) (used of physical stimuli) serving to stimulate or excite. Synonyms: irritative. Example: "An irritative agent."

(adj) causing physical discomfort. Synonyms: painful. Example: "Bites of black flies are more than irritating; they can be very painful."