as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
she irked her friend by chewing her gum loudly during the movie
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
one of the prof's major irks is a cell phone that rings during a lecture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of irk
Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
The company has irked its users multiple times over the past year.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 12 Apr. 2025
Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2022
The Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson varieties seem to sit somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of immunological irk.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 1 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for irk
Verb
An official at the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife said the move would increase human-bear conflicts — including with ranchers, already irked by the growing wolf population — and the large bruins could end up wandering beyond the remote regions where biologists released them.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
The company has irked its users multiple times over the past year.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 12 Apr. 2025
Noun
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
The Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson varieties seem to sit somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of immunological irk.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 1 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for irk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irk
Verb
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But until Tuesday afternoon, four days out, there had been no announcement of what acts would be performing, or even where the show would be held The radio silence annoyed fans, who said so online.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2025
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Nearly one-half of Republicans (52%) are annoyed with how much attention is being paid to climate change vs. only 13% for Democrats.—
Robert G. Eccles,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Noun
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That outage effectively shut down one of the nation’s busiest airports for approximately two hours, and led to days of cancellations, delays and headaches for travelers.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2025
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But string and yarn can become a headache for owners if their cats get their paws on it, which is exactly what happened to TikTok user @healingat40.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
Verb
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These ingredients can irritate the digestive tract, the bladder, or the teeth for people who are sensitive to them.—
Stacey Colino,
Time,
1 May 2025
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Chronic inflammation has been shown to irritate blood vessels and can lead to the hardening of fatty plaques in the lining of the arteries, which reduces blood flow to the heart.—
Liz Szabo,
Scientific American,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Resurging opposition to fluoridation — the practice of adding fluoride to public water systems at safe levels to prevent tooth decay — has been a nuisance for dentists, researchers and public health experts.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
12 May 2025
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How to get rid of gnats Generally, gnats are more of a nuisance than an actual threat to humans.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
7 May 2025
Verb
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Or Xander Schauffele, the defending PGA champion who is surely not bothered by the lack of attention on him early this week.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
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That doesn’t mean the implication doesn’t bother him.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Lai, a pugnacious former publisher whose now shuttered tabloid Apple Daily was a regular thorn in Beijing’s side, is in the midst of a national security trial that could send him to prison for life.—
Juliana Liu,
CNN Money,
10 May 2025
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The absence of Curry will be a big thorn in the Warriors' side as he's been great these playoffs.—
Ricardo Klein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 May 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Curry is 37 and played Sunday with his right thumb wrapped in athletic tape, nursing an ailment that has bugged him all season.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2025
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And for me, nothing bugs me more than engaging in social activities to check the box rather than making meaningful connections.—
Time,
Time,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Particularly if Devers' frustration in Boston grows.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 May 2025
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The night was maddening enough that, after the sixth inning, Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior was ejected for expressing his frustration with home-plate umpire Jeremie Rehak’s strike zone — the first ejection of Prior’s baseball life.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irk. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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