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gall

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verb

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as in to irritate
to make sore by continued rubbing tie your shoes so they don't gall your heels sliding on and off like that

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word gall different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of gall are audacity, cheek, chutzpah, effrontery, hardihood, nerve, and temerity. While all these words mean "conspicuous or flagrant boldness," nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery.

the nerve of that guy
has the cheek to call herself a singer
had the gall to demand proof
the chutzpah needed for a career in show business

In what contexts can audacity take the place of gall?

In some situations, the words audacity and gall are roughly equivalent. However, audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.

an entrepreneur with audacity and vision

When could effrontery be used to replace gall?

The meanings of effrontery and gall largely overlap; however, effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.

outraged at his effrontery

When is hardihood a more appropriate choice than gall?

The synonyms hardihood and gall are sometimes interchangeable, but hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.

admired for her hardihood

When might temerity be a better fit than gall?

The words temerity and gall can be used in similar contexts, but temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.

had the temerity to refuse

Example 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 gall
Noun
Sprays aren't generally effective because the mites are protected and hidden in leaf folds or galls. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2025 Michigan had dropped four of its last six games, but mustered enough trickery and belief to keep pace that day and finally, enough gall to try a 2-point conversion that could clinch the game. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
The unions argue that the CSU’s decision not to honor contracts is particularly galling considering the efforts unions made to secure state funding. Amelia Wu, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2025 That's more than a bit galling in a monitor that costs two to four times as much as flat 2D displays with similar specs. Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for gall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gall
Noun
  • The monthlong celebration comes at a crucial time, as transgender youths continue to face mounting legislative attacks and social hostility nationwide.
    Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Police officers eventually began to line tee boxes as the weekend progressed, though that also did not assuage the hostility.
    Matt Moret, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The volume and nature of the meows immediately struck a nerve with viewers, who recognized the sound of separation anxiety and loneliness.
    Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • This drug blocks those signals, so the nerves have a better chance to regrow.
    Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The evidence that Song was the shooter comes from a green mask the assailant wore from which samples that tested positive for Song’s DNA were taken and from interviews with cooperating sources, FBI Special Agent Clark Wiethorn testified at the hearing.
    Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Oct. 2025
  • In a recent campaign ad, Van Epps wears an Army uniform throughout the entire ad with patches and insignia removed.
    Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Reviewing pages have been thinned by the forces of history and technology; few Pynchon skeptics anymore bother to take the time to read the novels and register their objections.
    Book Marks October 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
  • But Bob Say, owner of Los Angeles’ Freakbeat Records, for one, isn’t all that bothered.
    Roy Trakin, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • His eerie calm seems to irritate Dawn even more than a candidly emotional confrontation would have done.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The cranky and irritating backseat driver, who bums a lift midway through the Griswolds' adventure, also has with her the easily excitable pooch Dinky.
    Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • That’s a long grudge that Ben holds.
    Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
  • There’s the Herschel Walker trade, the Charles Haley trade, and the long grudge between Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson.
    Jon Machota, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The series follows the fictional Holliday, a former star whose arrogance burned every bridge.
    JP Mangalindan, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Blenkin told Variety in September 2025 that his character's laughter comes from arrogance.
    Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • And trust—the most precious resource in any health crisis—will continue to erode.
    Dr. Nikki Romanik, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
  • For Allen, this legal tool disproportionately undermines Black communities, eroding generational wealth and disconnecting families from their neighborhoods.
    Essence, Essence, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gall. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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