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

• annoy
• bother
• irritate
• persecute
• bug
• aggravate

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

That said, Microsoft’s long-running relationship with OpenAI is complex, and at times it has been vexed. —Patrick Moorhead, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025

Kevin Gausman vexed the Tigers with his splitter for six innings. —Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 27 July 2025

Earlier this month, coders using Cursor were vexed by sudden and unexpected charges after the company changed its $20-per-month subscription plan to cap previously unlimited model usage at $20, with additional fees incurred for anything more. —Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025

But the sprawling document, hundreds of pages long, can vex even a professional researcher like Yee Yick. —Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 June 2025

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