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
-
When inside, Hattuta said everyone wears masks and keeps a safe distance from each other.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
The plethora of works are markedly vibrant and fresh, from the Hamlet in Brooklyn who wears a beanie to the one who enjoys Bollywood-style dances in London.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The timeliness of filing cases bothers him.—
Shelley Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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None of that, nor the fact Beckham missed all of 2025, bothers Harbaugh.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Daisy is caught so off guard that her first reaction is to laugh, which irritates Ben.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Here in the muddy middle is where confidence erodes, not because the writer lacks ability but because the process becomes complex.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
8 May 2026
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The pattern held up consistently — later-day caffeine pushes sleep back and erodes its quality.—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
5 May 2026
Verb
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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
-
Find an activity that meets your current needs With so many facets to the creative life, there is bound to be an endeavor that scratches an itch.—
Theara Coleman,
TheWeek,
8 May 2026
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Bites or scratches from an infected rodent or eating food contaminated with hantavirus, are other forms of exposure, Florida Health said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
5 May 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
-
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
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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 10 May. 2026.
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