as in irritated
subjected to and reacting with irritation
I was particularly galled when she didn't even offer to pay half the cab fare
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in eroded
to damage or diminish by continued friction
move that rope so the sharp edge of the hull doesn't gall it
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in annoyed
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
humming through your nose like that absolutely galls me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of galled
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025
Her words so galled many on the left, each column became a source of knee-jerk opposition online.
—Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
The fact that criminals would seek to take advantage of an old man’s lack of sophistication about the workings of the internet galled Tejasvi.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
From Warriors coach Steve Kerr, to future Hall of Famers Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, to 25-year-old relative newcomers Quinten Post and Trayce Jackson-Davis, the team’s lack of competitive fire galled the Warriors.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025
Her words so galled many on the left, each column became a source of knee-jerk opposition online.
—Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
The fact that criminals would seek to take advantage of an old man’s lack of sophistication about the workings of the internet galled Tejasvi.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for galled
Adjective
-
If left to build up on the skin, these substances can make skin look and feel dull or irritated.—
Leslie Baumann,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2026
-
At first blush, Rachel appears to be a mousy wallflower irritated by Marty’s fast-cash gambits.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In particular, the city’s stormwater system is failing as pipes have eroded and caused sinkholes to pop up in some parts of the city.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
5 Nov. 2025
-
But the Court’s authority itself has been eroded by years of partisan battles.—
Dan Perry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
She’d been awakened by their puppy, and had been annoyed at Ryan, who hadn’t gotten up early with the dog like he was supposed to.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Kelce was evaluated for a concussion in the locker room, and he was annoyed at having to answer the questions that are part of the test.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In October alone, shoppers were attacked in a supermarket, a Spanish tourist was scratched by a cub at a heritage site, and a trail runner was forced to wrestle a bear in the woods before sprinting to safety.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Six Central and North American teams scratched, leaving Cuba to qualify.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
So what exactly got the studio so hot and bothered?—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Despite his status as a pop culture icon for close to 50 years now, ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic has claimed he’s not terribly bothered about being overlooked by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.—
Tyler Jenke,
Billboard,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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As for accessories, Obama wore a pair of white, firework-like earrings from the Chanel collection as well.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
-
At the game, Swift wore head-to-toe Chiefs red, including a $550 Courrèges sweater and matching $650 Courrèges skirt.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Banks has bugged Kerkering to clean his locker, to no avail.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Power gains are bugged to be too low for a new power grind that no one wants to do anyway.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
It certainly can be deployed sincerely, yet it’s almost always accompanied by a good-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, shake of the head.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
3 Jan. 2026
-
Let the Big Three ride out the final years of this glorious era together, with Kerr looking on, exasperated but content in the final year of his contract.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
24 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Galled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galled. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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