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irk

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb irk differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of irk are annoy, bother, and vex. While all these words mean "to upset a person's composure," irk stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit.

careless waste irks the boss

In what contexts can annoy take the place of irk?

While the synonyms annoy and irk are close in meaning, annoy implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness.

their constant complaining annoys us

Where would bother be a reasonable alternative to irk?

The meanings of bother and irk largely overlap; however, bother suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind.

don't bother me while I'm reading

When can vex be used instead of irk?

The synonyms vex and irk are sometimes interchangeable, but vex implies greater provocation and stronger disturbance and usually connotes anger but sometimes perplexity or anxiety.

vexed by her son's failure to clean his room

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 irk
Verb
Farke is irked by the modern phenomenon of specialist set-piece coaches being glamourised on television and being made the centre of attention. Beren Cross, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 Anthropic ran into a similar problem recently because of its strict prohibition on surveillance, which Semafor reported irked White House officials. Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
New reaction: Whoa, which baseball deity did this guy irk? Zack Meisel, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025 The violence gets worse from there, and somehow all that is supposed to fit into a show about a Washington socialite whose biggest irk in the premiere is her rivalry with the first lady. Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2022 See All Example Sentences for irk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irk
Verb
  • In practice, Musk bowed to authoritarian governments or banned critical journalists when their reporting annoyed him.
    Jacob Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Joe proceeded to get drunk, annoy her (and multiple other cast members), and ultimately exit the party early to pass out in his room.
    Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • If the thought of budgeting gives you a headache, there's another way to approach managing your money without tracking every expense or obsessing over spreadsheets.
    Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Symptoms of the more serious illness include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis, according to the CDC.
    Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Always dilute apple cider vinegar with water and drink through a straw to avoid damaging tooth enamel and irritating the esophagus.
    Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The decision by Aaron Turner, Kuminga’s agent, to go on a media tour in recent weeks while negotiating publicly in hopes of landing a better offer for Kuminga, irritated some with the organization, according to league sources.
    Nick Friedell, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Situations like this are certainly a nuisance, but the quickest way to cause animosity with your neighbors is to come between them and their sleep.
    Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025
  • While many consider the mammal a nuisance for raiding garbage cans and damaging property, raccoons can also carry diseases, and they probably shouldn't be kept as housepets.
    Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Reviewing pages have been thinned by the forces of history and technology; few Pynchon skeptics anymore bother to take the time to read the novels and register their objections.
    Book Marks October 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
  • But Bob Say, owner of Los Angeles’ Freakbeat Records, for one, isn’t all that bothered.
    Roy Trakin, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Last season, the Hurricanes had the league’s 25th-best power play, and the man advantage has been a thorn in the team’s side during almost every playoff disappointment.
    The Athletic NHL, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Flynn has persistently been a thorn in the side of Wu all year, and some of his proposals are legit.
    Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Daily Stride Comfort No-show Socks There is nothing that bugs me more than no-show socks that curl up underneath your foot minutes into wearing them.
    Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
  • At the end of the 19th century, Phylloxera bugs infected vineyards across Europe but a solution was found, and viticulture adapted and continued.
    Miguel A. Torres, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Despite the growing frustration surrounding the play, Payton remains steadfast in his belief that the play should not be outlawed.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • New York — An explosion at a New York City apartment building blew off a floor-to-roof chunk of the high-rise – terrifying residents in the Bronx and fueling frustration and outrage as to how this could have happened.
    Holly Yan, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Irk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irk. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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