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
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
But to have the hypocrisy be laid out so starkly, just a few clicks away on the same website, is particularly galling.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 9 Feb. 2026
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2025
Particularly galling to California taxpayers – who must balance the family budget in a state with a punishinglyhigh cost of living – is the fact that the deficits persist even with huge revenue increases.
—Jon Coupal, Oc Register, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for galling
Adjective
Especially galling is how the state Democratic Party has done next to nothing to help Latinos become household names who can win.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
But to have the hypocrisy be laid out so starkly, just a few clicks away on the same website, is particularly galling.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri found the trauma plot especially galling in FNAF2, since that’s what every horror movie is about nowadays.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2025
Particularly galling to California taxpayers – who must balance the family budget in a state with a punishinglyhigh cost of living – is the fact that the deficits persist even with huge revenue increases.
—Jon Coupal, Oc Register, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for galling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for galling
Adjective
-
Norwegian Epic is awkward, distinctive and sometimes frustrating.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
The cancellation was frustrating enough, but this comes across as incredibly dismissive of the fans who support your career.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
The core characters Each character came into their own during the series, sometimes in emotionally painful ways.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
14 June 2026
-
Hidden inside those numbers is a long and painful history.—
Ryan Lenora Brown,
NPR,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Chronic stress is eroding sleep, focus and mood for millions of Americans — and the cheapest, fastest counterweight may already be sitting in your sneakers.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
-
What registers to most as an economic or human rights issue is, in practice, also one of the most undercounted public health crises quietly eroding our collective well-being.—
Nicole F. Roberts,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Weird; annoying even – but the floaters did not seem urgent.—
Peter Ubel,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
My biggest concern about adding a tracking device around Mya’s neck was annoying her or creating disruption.—
Tyler Hayes,
PC Magazine,
13 May 2026
Verb
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How to avoid chiggers Aside from the potential risk of anaphylactic allergy and severe illness, chiggers are, well, irritating.—
Eva Flowe
June 11,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
-
When pouring perlite out of the bag, wear a mask and eye protection to prevent any dust that floats in the air from irritating your eyes, nose, or throat.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
There’s another, more disturbing chapter in the book about Jack Webb, the star of Dragnet.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
13 June 2026
-
Chestnut said the most disturbing part is that scammers were trying to take advantage of families in a vulnerable moment.—
Tori Mason,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Ikutiminu, who will attend UC Irvine in the fall, even spoke with musicians about how to create a sound that would be less harsh than the vuvuzela.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
Without toxic acids Tripathi’s breakthrough eliminates the harsh chemicals.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Wilson shared a video of herself shooting a gun while dressed in her bikini shirt, as well as one of her sipping on a cocktail while sitting on part of the boat wearing the shirt, a visor and a statement necklace.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
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Another, wearing a plain white T-shirt, sat hunched inside, watching someone climb past his apartment window.—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Galling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galling. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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