galls

verb

present tense third-person singular of gall
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
3
as in irritates
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

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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for galls
  1. wears
  2. bothers
  3. irritates
  4. erodes
  5. annoys
  6. scratches
  7. frays
  8. bugs
Verb
  • Rodríguez Castro wears a stainless-steel version on his left wrist.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • Team Visma-Lease A Bike’s Jonas Vingegaard currently wears the yellow jersey after two stages, while Mexico’s Isaac del Toro of UAE Team Emirates won his first Tour de France stage on Sunday afternoon.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of wears
Verb
  • If that bothers you, then a significant projection for Bo Nix’s season will make your skin crawl.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 July 2026
  • What bothers me more is when passengers take up valuable overhead bin space with personal items like backpacks and jackets before everyone has finished boarding.
    — Skyli Alvarez, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 July 2026
Definition of bothers
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.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of irritates
Verb
  • Financial privacy erodes gradually through risk assessments, compliance obligations, information sharing partnerships and international standards presented as technical rather than political.
    — Susie Violet Ward, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • This undermines financial stability, erodes reserves intended for true emergencies, and increases the likelihood of necessary cuts or emergency measures in the future.
    — Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2026
Definition of erodes
Verb
  • Another potential ingredient in whether a company annoys customers is its business model.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 7 July 2026
  • That's Clearly Too Heavy This isn't just something that annoys flight attendants, but a potentially hazardous task for crew members.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
Definition of annoys
Verb
  • Some scratches early in this past season led to reports of Mintyukov requesting a trade, but the smooth-skating blueliner improved his play and settled in on Anaheim’s second defense pairing.
    — Eric Stephens, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • Food particles and microorganisms can become trapped in the nicks, grooves, and scratches on the board.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 28 June 2026
Definition of scratches
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.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of frays
Verb
  • What really bugs me about this moment, and about the battle and its aftermath, is the lack of feeling.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of bugs

Browse Nearby Words

gallows birds
galls
galoot
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Cite this Entry

“Galls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galls. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on galls

Nglish: Translation of galls for Spanish Speakers

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