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
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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
-
Students in Imam’s classes on the Old and New Testaments do tutorials in his office, reading essays aloud while Imam wears full academic regalia.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Kate Flannery wears an embroidered gown to the Normal premiere with Mary Lynn Rajskub in Los Angeles on April 15.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His approach is to look at what bothers that person the most.—
Kaicey Baylor,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The political rhetoric aimed at ridiculing Canada bothers Johnson.—
Jeanne Bonner,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Castor Oil Castor oil irritates the digestive system of the moles and makes the soil less inviting to them.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Weed pollen typically irritates people in the late summer and early fall.—
Seth Jacobson,
wickedlocal.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Affordability issues explain part of the apprehension; increasingly, young people have been priced out of the housing market, breeding a resentment that erodes faith in institutions — and in capitalism itself.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
13 Apr. 2026
-
That reflex delays care and erodes trust.—
Liz Koch,
STAT,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
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Or when Reggie purposefully annoys Arthur by having his son, Carmelo (Jalyn Hall), practice with his a cappella group in Arthur’s editing suite, a move that demonstrates the increasingly teasing affection between Arthur and Reggie.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But this satirical peek into Silicon Valley's tech bubble barely scratches the surface of the depravity and dysfunction to come.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
-
From a total solar eclipse lasting almost an hour to the Earth setting behind the moon, the photo dump from NASA just scratches the surface of what's to come.—
Noel Brennan,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
-
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
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Travelers are advised to inspect hotel rooms upon arrival and use precautions like plastic bags or luggage liners to prevent bringing bed bugs home.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Galls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galls. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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