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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
Knowing that this irks travelers, a growing number of hotels are installing intuitive lighting solutions. Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 22 Aug. 2025 Mickey then makes mention of how much time Ashley has been spending up in the HOH room, which irks Ashley to no end. Nick Caruso, TVLine, 21 Aug. 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
  • Comments about my fast walk annoy me.
    Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Keanu, still annoyed from the veto ceremony, talked to Ava Pearl in the HOH room and called Rachel a liar.
    David Wysong, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The fight over transit funding is just one part of a bigger headache—Pennsylvania’s budget is more than nine weeks late.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Symptoms of Chagas disease include fever, fatigue, body aches, headache, rash, loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, and eyelid swelling.
    Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Think flying in spring water to a Caribbean island because a female client thought the local water irritated her scalp.
    Louis J. Esterhazy, Footwear News, 7 Sep. 2025
  • However, Agnes is dressed exactly like Wednesday and her Single White Female act is irritating the hell out of her hero.
    Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Couples who respect yellow lights tend to build trust, because hesitation is treated as valuable input, not as a nuisance.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • In this era of college athletics what was once a nuisance and an annoyance — college classes — now often appear to not even be a part of the equation.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The acting didn’t bother me, but the directing did.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
  • If the odds of winning the lottery are so low, why do people bother playing?
    Charles Trepany, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Primus has expressed skepticism about rail mergers and would likely have been a thorn in the side of this rail merger.
    Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The Angels pulled out a 4-3 victory as Jo Adell remained a thorn in the Royals’ side.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Fort Worth bed bugs The B-plot of Episode 7 has Peggy setting up a Little Free Library in her front yard in an effort to build community.
    Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025
  • His not winning it was considered a failure, and that bugged him.
    Brody Miller, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • As the Supreme Court increasingly shows frustration with the overreach of lower court judges, the justices could be motivated to take up cases more quickly on matters where lower courts are ignoring their emergency docket orders, such as with the firing of independent agency heads.
    Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Advocates expressed frustration, emphasizing the need for comfortable and safe air travel for all passengers.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Irk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irk. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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