irritate

v.

1. To bother

   provoke, annoy, exasperate, pester, peeve, nettle; see also bother 2, 3, disturb 2.

2. To inflame

   redden, chafe, swell, erupt, pain, sting, burn, aggravate; see also hurt 4, itch 1.

irritate, the broadest in scope of these terms, may suggest temporary superficial impatience, or constant annoyance in, or an outburst of anger from, the person stirred to feeling their smugness irritated him; to provoke is to arouse strong annoyance or resentment, or, sometimes, vindictive anger provoked by an insult; nettle implies irritation that stings or piques rather than infuriates sly, nettling remarks; exasperate implies intense irritation such as exhausts one's patience or makes one lose one's self-control exasperating impudence; peeve, an informal word, means to cause to be annoyed, cross, or fretful he seems peeved about something