vex

verb

ˈveks 

vexed also vext ˈvekst  ; vexing

transitive verb

1

a

: to bring trouble, distress, or agitation to

the restaurant is vexed by slow service

b

: to bring physical distress to

a headache vexed him all morning

c

: to irritate or annoy by petty provocations : harass

vexed by the children

d

: puzzle, baffle

a problem to vex the keenest wit

2

: to shake or toss about

Synonyms of vex

• annoy
• bother
• irritate
• bug
• persecute

Choose the Right Synonym for vex

annoy, vex, irk, bother mean to upset a person's composure.

annoy implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness.

their constant complaining annoys us

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

irk stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit.

careless waste irks the boss

bother suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind.

don't bother me while I'm reading

Examples of vex in a Sentence

This problem has vexed researchers for years.

We were vexed by the delay.

Recent Examples on the Web

Finding the right balance between banning AI outright and allowing students to become overreliant on it is now vexing universities nationwide. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026

Many economists believe that final round of stimulus relief overheated the economy and fed inflation, which has vexed the American public for the past five years. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

For decades scientists and researchers have been vexed by a sound emanating from cats. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Gutierrez found that jurors were vexed by expert testimony regarding a hypothetical world in which NFL games were televised more like college football games. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French vexer, from Latin vexare to agitate, harry; probably akin to Latin vehere to convey — more at way

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for vex

• becks
• checks
• czechs
• decks
• dex
• ex
• flecks
• flex
• hex
• lex
• necks
• pecks

Kids Definition

vex

verb

ˈveks 

vexed also vext; vexing

1

: to bring trouble, distress, or worry to

vexed by thoughts of what could have been

2

: to annoy continually with little irritations

vexed by the children