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irk

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb irk differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of irk are annoy, bother, and vex. While all these words mean "to upset a person's composure," irk stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit.

careless waste irks the boss

In what contexts can annoy take the place of irk?

While the synonyms annoy and irk are close in meaning, annoy implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness.

their constant complaining annoys us

Where would bother be a reasonable alternative to irk?

The meanings of bother and irk largely overlap; however, bother suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind.

don't bother me while I'm reading

When can vex be used instead of irk?

The synonyms vex and irk are sometimes interchangeable, but vex implies greater provocation and stronger disturbance and usually connotes anger but sometimes perplexity or anxiety.

vexed by her son's failure to clean his room

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of irk
Verb
Backers with interests in the crypto and AI industries such as Andreessen and Horowitz are irked at the Biden administration’s regulatory campaigns. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024 Yet many aren’t necessarily getting a raise, at least in the short term, irking some workers, staffing officials and business owners say. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2024
Noun
The violence gets worse from there, and somehow all that is supposed to fit into a show about a Washington socialite whose biggest irk in the premiere is her rivalry with the first lady. Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2022 The Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson varieties seem to sit somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of immunological irk. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 1 Dec. 2021 See all Example Sentences for irk 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irk
Verb
  • Examples of structural issues include being easily annoyed by other people’s demands and stories about their daily activities.
    Courtney Smith, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
  • The report said the mailings annoyed and confused some voters.
    Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Exposure to high concentrations can cause people to lose consciousness and can lead to long-term effects such as headaches, poor attention span, poor memory and poor motor function, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
    Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
  • Common symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, sneezing, coughing, mild headache, and a low-grade fever.
    Brandi Jones, MSN-Ed, Health, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Sulfur dioxide, a toxic gas emitted during volcanic eruptions, can irritate the respiratory system, the eyes and skin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    Ty Roush, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
  • However, their acid can sometimes irritate a sore throat.
    Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The world wars turned the insect from a nuisance to a mortal threat.
    Salama Udaipurwala, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2024
  • But, as this CNN investigation reveals, this public nuisance has an exploitative underbelly that warrants scrutiny.
    Longreads, Longreads, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Jeff Beal, owner of the Cigar Vault, said the business uses a ventilation system that recycles the air, so patrons of nearby businesses should not be bothered by the cigar smoke.
    Rachel Royster, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
  • They cannot be bothered with solving the day-to-day needs-to-survive of their charges.
    Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Lai, a billionaire media tycoon who had long been a thorn in the side of Beijing, was arrested in August 2020, shortly after the central Chinese government imposed a national security law that criminalizes secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.
    Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
  • The lawsuit, filed by California resident Victor Cho, alleges a violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act, a federal law barring the disclosure of information about viewing habits that’s long been a thorn in the side of streaming providers.
    Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Bungie recently acknowledged the existence of arguably the worst bug in Destiny 2’s entire history, the revelation that for years now, loot drops have been bugged to make certain perk combinations close to impossible to get, when all combinations were supposedly supposed to be weighted equally.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
  • In the meantime, if the node is painful or just bugging you, resist the urge to touch or squeeze it, Dr. Norton says, which can make the swelling worse.
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • But with crucial deadlines and the land deal itself hanging in the balance, the county’s apparent lack of movement was a source of frustration at Tuesday’s supervisors meeting.
    Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
  • Voter frustrations with the economy and immigration are fueling Trump’s slight advantage among Arizona voters.
    Stephanie Murray, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near irk

Cite this Entry

“Irk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irk. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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