Crossword Genius

Being spiteful is beginning to be irritating (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

bitching

'being spiteful' is the definition.

'beginning to be irritating' is the wordplay.
'beginning to' indicates taking the first letters.
'irritating' becomes 'itching' (itching is a kind of irritating).
The initial letter of 'be' is 'b'.
'b'+'itching'='BITCHING'

'is' acts as a link.

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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