Guide 203 / 366 6 swaps Formal register
Professional words for “irritate”
Six sharper verbs when "irritate" is too soft (or too clinical).
i · When it mattersTwo lines, no filler
"Irritate" splits two senses: psychological annoyance and physical inflammation. The swaps below pick which sense you mean.
ii · The swaps6 ways
- 01Annoy neutral
mild psychological
The repeated emails annoyed her.
- 02Vex formal
literary or considered
The contradiction vexed the auditors.
- 03Aggravate neutral
make worse
The patch aggravated the underlying bug.
- 04Bother neutral
softer
It doesn't bother me.
- 05Pester neutral
repeated nuisance
They pestered him for hours.
- 06Inflame formal
physical or political
The cream inflamed the rash.