How to pronounce irritate
Say it like IR-ih-tayt. Irritate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (IR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce irritate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- IR
- ih
- tayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Irritate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- IRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- taytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of irritate
American and British speakers say irritate in essentially the same way: /ˈɪrɪˌteɪt/ in the US and /ˈɪrɪˌteɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: IR-ih-tayt.
What does irritate mean?
- To provoke impatience, anger, or displeasure in.
- To cause or induce displeasure or irritation.
- To induce pain in (all or part of a body or organism).
Where does irritate come from?
Borrowed from Latin irrītātus, perfect passive participle of irrītō (“excite, irritate, incite, stimulate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying irritate
How do you pronounce irritate?
Say IR-ih-tayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈɪrɪˌteɪt/. In British English it is /ˈɪrɪˌteɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in irritate?
Irritate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (IR). Broken into parts: IR · ih · tayt.
Do Americans and Brits say irritate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɪrɪˌteɪt/ and the British form is /ˈɪrɪˌteɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.