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
Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
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
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
What’s particularly galling is that many who reap Wall Street trading largesse are quick to point the finger at others over unethical behavior.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
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
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
-
What made the situation especially frustrating was that there appeared to be plenty of space on the playground and along the hiking trails.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
-
But sports games are likely to be moved elsewhere for much of the spring season, frustrating the parents of over 2,000 kids registered in baseball and softball leagues at Welles Park Parent Association, a volunteer organization for youth baseball and softball.—
Laura Turbay,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
On the journey, she gets drawn into her own family’s history and trauma and uncovers a painful legacy that hovers like a dark cloud over the women in the family.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Mar. 2026
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Good opposing coaches pants him every time (Loyola, of course, being a particularly painful example).—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And what’s happening in the West Bank on a daily basis is eroding this possibility.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Dallas is spending millions of dollars to address erosion along the trail after a 2024 report found 1,100 feet of shoreline along Garland Road is eroding and will fail without intervention.—
Sarah Bahari,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Mar. 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
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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
-
The choice to portray her as irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate was no accident.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Wear gloves to avoid irritating your skin.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Though intensely disturbing, a scene where a TV shows a distorted iteration of a character that Ohm watched as a kid rings out of place, even if the context involves his mother’s tragic passing.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
-
If true, this is obviously disturbing.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Residents describe the smell as a harsh chemical paint smell, similar to the smell in a nail salon.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
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Hardliners appeared to consolidate power in Iran as a result of US and Israeli air strikes, with experts fearing restrictions on dissent could be even harsher.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There were plenty of fans wearing Frost and Sirens jerseys, but some of the other six teams in the league as well.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
-
When officers arrived, two men approached them wearing masks and gloves, carrying at least one gun.—
Kristi Miller,
Twin Cities,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Galling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galling. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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