1
as in wears
to damage or diminish by continued friction
move that rope so the sharp edge of the hull doesn't gall it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in bothers
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of galls
What galls them is Toberoff’s tooth-and-nail negotiations and his insistence on becoming a producer himself, complete with credit and fees.
—
Tom Dotan, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
What especially galls Marion is having eight touchdowns called back this season.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Tom Dotan, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
What especially galls Marion is having eight touchdowns called back this season.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for galls
Verb
-
Wiley often wears her hair in a stretched state, combing through her gray coils with a blow dryer before doing a braid-out.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
29 May 2026
-
The character is an adult who drinks, wears impeccable clothing, and beds women—the familiar Bond tropes.—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
What bothers me still is the Maloofs or (current ownership) never honored Rick with a special night.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
-
Shields added at the time that she's learned to speak up when something bothers her rather than assuming her spouse can read her mind.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing.—
Lé Baltar,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
-
The impish half-smile that irritates opponents eventually returns to his face, though.—
Chris Smith,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
That erodes trust in the fairness of our elections and weakens confidence in our democracy.—
The Editorial Board,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
-
In no uncertain terms, the absence of those issues is bewildering, erodes the entire report’s credibility, and demands an explanation.—
Douglas Schoen,
Oc Register,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
-
Seeing this much effort put into ripping off people annoys him.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
But that just scratches the surface.—
R. Scott Raynovich,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2026
-
Because glass scratches easily, pressure matters here.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
The coalition of supporters frays Still another issue is conflict within the legalization movement itself, particularly between the business and activist wings.—
William Garriott,
The Conversation,
17 Apr. 2026
-
This particular aspect of the show frays the gripping tone that had been so masterfully crafted from its opening scene.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
When traveling, the EPA suggests inspecting any room visitors will be staying in for the presence of bed bugs.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
As an existing subdivision — 99% of it vacant — Azure Vista offered hundreds of buildable vacant lots populated only by red ants, quail and Groucho Marx bugs.—
Eric DuVall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Galls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galls. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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