1
as in frustrating
causing annoyance
her holier-than-thou attitude is galling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
losing in the last round of play-offs was galling to our home team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in eroding
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 annoying
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
3
as in irritating
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of galling
Andrea Hsu, NPR, 1 Sep. 2025
What’s particularly galling is the timing.
—Chip Monaco, Oc Register, 1 Sep. 2025
Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
The loss will be particularly galling for Świątek, who had match point at 40-30 up but was unable to convert and reach her first Australian Open final.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for galling
Adjective
That's especially galling to Agriculture Department employee Cole Gandy, who trains CBP workers stationed at ports of entry on how to inspect agricultural imports for pests.
—Andrea Hsu, NPR, 1 Sep. 2025
What’s particularly galling is the timing.
—Chip Monaco, Oc Register, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
The case of the Renteria family was particularly galling for those trying to uphold Loving County’s residency requirements.
—Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
The loss will be particularly galling for Świątek, who had match point at 40-30 up but was unable to convert and reach her first Australian Open final.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for galling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for galling
Adjective
-
In his own work, the Governor has sought to smooth corners, frustrating some organizers.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Few dynamics in tennis are more frustrating than earning chances to break an opponent and then not even being able to start a point, especially in a major final.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This winter’s procedure, Edman said, included a ligament repair and the removal of some painful bone spurs in the ankle, which had limited not just his baserunning but his ability to bounce back and forth between the infield and the outfield.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
With Rock’s unmistakable voice narrating every awkward win and painful loss, the series balanced humor with real-life lessons.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Projects that bypass rigorous upfront analysis often end up relying on emergency mitigation, enforcement-heavy solutions, and costly redesigns, eroding public trust along the way.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
-
When the stock finally gets momentum, Cramer said the sellers appear, eroding the gains.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Sometimes, rage bait can be relatively harmless – a recipe that contains disgusting food combinations or someone annoying their pet, partner or sibling.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
1 Dec. 2025
-
But what’s been annoying me even more is that these women should have been trained by producers to start recording on their own cell phones if drama starts to unfold after cameras go down.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
12 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
A lot of anti-aging skincare contains ingredients like retinol that can be drying and irritating, but Cetaphil has a possible solution.—
Lauren Taylor,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Cold outdoor air plus active heat indoors can pull moisture from both the scalp and hair shaft, which can be irritating.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Some of those revelations are deeply disturbing.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
1 Feb. 2026
-
These disturbing images raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The energy output is designed to remain stable down to –50 degrees Celsius, supporting reliable operation in some of the harshest climates on Earth, reports InsideEVs.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Rapinchuk recommends only using non-toxic products when cleaning your refrigerator and avoiding anything with harsh chemicals, such as bleach and ammonia.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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They were joined by other celebrities wearing the pins to voice their objections to ICE, including Justin Bieber, Samara Joy, Kehlani, Lachi, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Teddy Swims also wore the pins.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Celebs began wearing the anti-ICE pins at Sundance Film Festival and the Golden Globes.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
2 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Galling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galling. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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