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
-
Isabella is thin and tall, and wears high heels and low-cut dresses.—
T. M. Brown,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Prince Harry wears a serious expression with an earpiece at the Kyiv Security Forum in Kyiv, Ukraine on April 23.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
None of that, nor the fact Beckham missed all of 2025, bothers Harbaugh.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Even if their own tax bill is manageable, the idea that the wealthy are underpaying — or that the government is wasting their dollars — bothers many.—
Linley Sanders,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 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
-
Others warned holding funding flat without hearing the district’s needs erodes trust and leaves key decisions about staffing, resources and student support happening without transparency.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Inflation erodes the coin’s buying power every year.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
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
-
For a child who scratches through the night or wakes up with irritated patches, that difference in breathability is meaningful.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
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 29 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
