galling 1 of 2

galling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of gall
1
2
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

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 galling
Adjective
The more negative scenario — military actions by two foreign nations causing economic trouble in the U.S. — would be an especially galling development for Trump. Niall Stanage, The Hill, 14 June 2025 But Curb Your Enthusiasm knows how galling Larry is. Jen Chaney, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2024
Verb
The indignity of it is galling. Erik Kain, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 This fiction will be galling to some people, but deeply reassuring to others. Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for galling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for galling
Adjective
  • But the most frustrating point among them is the argument shared by several critics and a wider collection of the audience that the film doesn’t have a deeper meaning and is ultimately about nothing.
    Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2025
  • This hypothesis sounds persuasive, albeit frustrating for me.
    Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Although the condition itself isn’t typically painful, raw or blistered skin can lead to pain and swelling.7 Secondary skin infections—like if a blister is exposed to bacteria and gets infected—can also cause painful symptoms.
    Sarah Bradley, Health, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Once tooth enamel is lost, the tooth nerves are exposed, which is painful and makes the teeth sensitive.
    Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The traditional barriers surrounding proprietary AI are eroding, ushering in a new era of innovation that will redefine the global AI race.
    Vandana Rana, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Gerrymandering reduces electoral competition, entrenches incumbents, and marginalizes whole communities, ultimately eroding public trust in democracy.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • When handled, these treefrogs secrete a sticky toxin as a defense, which can be irritating to mucous membranes of people or pets who make contact with them.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2025
  • All three ingredients offer significant benefits for skin brightening and skin texture, but also tend to be irritating to people with sensitive skin.
    Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The sheer amount of toilet humor — there’s a lot of mucus, snot, and jokes about people drinking piss stuffed into one film — often proves more annoying than fun.
    Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 22 Aug. 2025
  • For a good portion of the audience, Metal Gear Solid Delta will hit all the right notes by being a nice jaunt down memory lane to a time when these ideas and systems were innovative rather than annoying.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The report didn’t elaborate on that treatment but studies and surveys have previously highlighted the military’s notoriously harsh conditions.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The former Calle 13 member impresses her sensitivity to this piece, originally written by Orlando Brito and popularized in 1975 by the great Héctor Lavoe, giving it new life with her powerful, dramatic voice, accompanied by street guitars and harsh, aggressive chords that captivate the listener.
    Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Jan. 2025
  • The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • But that’s just scratching the surface – addressing only the symptoms of the underlying challenges and only addressing them at the end of the SDLC process.
    Jeremy Vaughan, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Similar to a sheet pan, whole meals can be built in a Dutch oven, scratching that same itch for convenience and less clean up.
    Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Galling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galling. Accessed 26 Aug. 2025.

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