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 especially galls Marion is having eight touchdowns called back this season.
—
Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for galls
Verb
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This classic Victorian wears its age beautifully, with stone details, shingles, and deep eaves that hint at its past.—
Miriam Schwartz,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Engaged to be married to the rich but dull George (played by John Lund), Lord wears a scene-stealing ring throughout the film, its central stone elegantly flanked by a pair of tapered baguettes.—
Rachel Garrahan,
Vogue,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At one point, Bryan Freedman, an attorney for Baldoni and the Wayfarer Studios defendants, asked Lively if negative publicity bothers her.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
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That relentless competence obviously drives people crazy, but the other part that bothers opposing fans is the understanding that their clubs could do more.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There’s another distinctly New York habit that irritates Manville — at the end of the performances, theatergoers leap to their feat, not just to applaud, but to whip out their cellphones to record the curtain call.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
16 Jan. 2026
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Somehow, this irritates Helen even more.—
Sadia Shepard,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When misaligned, decision quality erodes before leaders notice.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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Several such instances have created controversy, with some community advocates saying the mere presence of city police alongside immigration agents erodes trust with migrant communities.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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One of its two young sibling protagonists, Amber (Bianca Belle), channels her feelings about the recent death of her mother into drawings of creatures born out of her troubled imagination, some of whom enact violence against the classmate who annoys her.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
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There's just one thing about Claire Danes that annoys Matthew Rhys.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
22 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And even though All the Little Houses is set in the ’80s, complete with Laura Ashley dresses and Jazzercise references, the novel scratches a thoroughly modern itch for real access to the inner lives of the kinds of alpha women who swarm our social media feeds.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2026
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And this only scratches the surface—true economic impact stands to be even higher when considering what future scientific breakthroughs could achieve.—
Bob Sternfels,
Fortune,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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Conjuring the troubled inner life of a young, beautiful and successful Buenos Aires fashion designer with an uncommon mix of stylistic rigor and feeling, the film frays your nerves.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Check the head and base and foot of the bed, peeling back the top sheet to look for evidence on mattress covers, box springs, dust ruffles, and the headboard—and most importantly, the mattress seams and piping because bed bugs like to hide in cracks and crevices.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
25 Dec. 2025
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Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Galls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galls. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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