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
Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
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
Verb
Bundle is also galled by Lady Coote’s refusal to mention at the inquest that the fatal sleeping draft was from a bottle she’d given to her sleepless maid, Emily.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
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
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The study also found that participants became frustrated with Pepper for reasons similar to those that make people irritated with overly competitive friends or family members during board games.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
12 June 2026
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The eye cream is also formulated with squalane to help soften and calm irritated skin, as well as Argireline peptide, which is so effective at smoothing wrinkles that it’s been called the Botox of skincare.—
Kaelin Dodge,
InStyle,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Others spend hundreds of millions only to be left with excess inventory, eroded margins and consumers who have already moved on.—
Keren Novack,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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As the rocks eroded and wore away into their iconic shapes, Native people hunted, gathered and farmed beside them.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Verb
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And get annoyed when people spell it wrong anyway?—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
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Rather than be annoyed, however, both Zach and Kayda seem to mostly welcome Bryce’s presence, all three of them bonded.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Loftis has his own traumatic history with the town of Widow’s Bay, but remains skeptical until he is scratched by an ethereal creature on a foggy night.—
Stephen Rodrick,
Rolling Stone,
16 June 2026
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The Tigers scratched starter Troy Melton with back tightness before the game, forcing a bullpen outing that allowed seven hits combined.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Even as Dylan maneuvers weightier situations like romantic rejection, or the uncertainty of a new leadership position, or feeling bothered that a promising student decides to turn her back on poetry, the actress brings a sense of humanity while embracing her character’s flaws.—
Candice Frederick,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
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Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi star as childhood pals turned hot and bothered frenemies having quite the torrid love affair as adults in a sumptuous and quite haughty bad romance.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Trudeau embraced the Southern California vibes and wore a green T-shirt with black shorts and a pair of dark sunglasses.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
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Flockhart looked pretty in pink next to Ford, who wore a classic tux, at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards.—
Kate Hogan,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Verb
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When Riley returned to the table, La La told me that his high profile in the city sometimes bugged her, because fans were always interrupting them, even sitting down at their table.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
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Upon arriving at big-league camp this spring, Rojas said the different grip initially bugged him.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Such a reader would be even more exasperated by The End of Everything, which turns the dial up several notches.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
An exasperated Tomás enters the thicket himself to retrieve, among other items, Liam’s boot, and doesn’t emerge until the next day—not screaming, but fundamentally changed.—
Nora Biette-Timmons,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Galled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galled. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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