1
as in frustrating
causing annoyance
her holier-than-thou attitude is galling
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
The answer is galling: Vlachodimos’ cost in the club’s books came to £22.8m. That puts him 12th on the list of Newcastle’s most expensive signings.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
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
Adjective
In the most galling but predictable sense, that same scoreline would be repeated, only in Newcastle’s favour.
—Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
The answer is galling: Vlachodimos’ cost in the club’s books came to £22.8m. That puts him 12th on the list of Newcastle’s most expensive signings.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
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
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What’s more frustrating is that neither of the bracket’s two best overall performers will be proceeding on to the semifinals, and in hindsight, one of them — Acid Betty — really wasn’t given a chance.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
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The most frustrating character on The Bear continues to be Claire (Molly Gordon), whose on-screen role in Season 3 was limited, but whose importance even as an unseen force has grown and grown.—
Linda Holmes,
NPR,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
Once Schaefer’s emotional moment was done, the rest of the conversations ranged from mildly awkward to borderline painful.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
-
Their venom, similar to a bee’s or wasp’s, results in a painful, itchy pustule or blister on the skin.—
Gareth McGrath,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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Unfortunately, everything else in this misadventure, from annoying love interests to cloying sidekicks, is a minecart going off the rails.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
20 June 2025
-
And the positivity surrounding it is annoying, including my own.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Come spring, the Ranger III carries everything from outhouses and diesel fuel for the generators to construction supplies to repair whatever damage Mother Nature did to facilities over the harsh winter.—
Diana Lambdin Meyer,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
-
The United States and Europe must finally sever all economic ties with Russia (e.g., nuclear partnerships) and impose harsher sanctions on Russia and secondary sanctions so that China and others face consequences for their support of the war.—
Laura Thornton,
Twin Cities,
27 June 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
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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
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Galling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galling. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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