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
Relevance
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
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 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
-
Ellinger isn’t the only one who wears Costco on his sleeve.
-
Bonner, a third-year veteran who has worked his way up the roster as a former undrafted player, has a reputation as one of Miami’s five fastest players, consistently clocking one of the team’s top three speeds in practice based on the team’s tracker every player wears.
Verb
-
What bothers me is the implication of a Labubu National Team full of these things.
-
The underlying economics are forgiving, if anyone bothers to design for them.
Verb
-
If someone is in your life long enough, they’re bound to do something that irritates you—and you’re bound to do something that irritates them.
-
Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing.
Verb
-
The best exits often happen while the story is still strong, before defensive thinking erodes momentum, talent and valuation.
-
This undermines financial stability, erodes reserves intended for true emergencies, and increases the likelihood of necessary cuts or emergency measures in the future.
Verb
-
What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?
-
One of the more common ways bear encounters escalate is when an off-leash dog runs toward a bear, annoys it, and then comes sprinting back to its owner with an angry predator in pursuit.
Verb
-
Price's dog Chaos suffered extensive blood loss and several gashes and scratches from the bear attack.
-
Officers noted in the affidavit that the girlfriend’s injuries didn’t quite match her claims, observing a small mark on her neck, scratches on her arm and a small cut on her hand.
Verb
-
Conjuring the troubled inner life of a young, successful Buenos Aires fashion designer with an uncommon mix of stylistic rigor and feeling, the film frays your nerves.
-
The coalition of supporters frays Still another issue is conflict within the legalization movement itself, particularly between the business and activist wings.
Verb
-
When traveling, the EPA suggests inspecting any room visitors will be staying in for the presence of bed bugs.
-
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.
Cite this Entry
“Galls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galls. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
