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Noun: irritation  ,i-ru'tey-shun
  1. The psychological state of being irritated or annoyed
    - annoyance, vexation, botheration [informal]
     
  2. A sudden outburst of anger
    "his irritation sparked like damp firewood";
    - pique, temper
     
  3. (pathology) abnormal sensitivity to stimulation
    "any food produced irritation of the stomach"
     
  4. The neural or electrical arousal of an organ or muscle or gland
    - excitation, innervation
     
  5. An uncomfortable feeling of mental painfulness or distress
    - discomfort, soreness
     
  6. Unfriendly behaviour that causes anger or resentment
    - aggravation, provocation
     
  7. The act of troubling or annoying someone
    - annoyance, annoying, vexation
     
  8. Something or someone that causes annoyance, inconvenience, or makes life more difficult
    - annoyance, bother, botheration [informal], pain, infliction, pain in the neck [informal], nuisance

Derived forms: irritations

Type of: abnormalcy [US], abnormality, aggression, annoyance, arousal, chafe, hurt, mental condition, mental state, mistreatment, negative stimulus, psychological condition, psychological state, sensitisation [Brit], sensitization, suffering, vexation

Encyclopedia: Irritation