as in annoyed
subjected to and reacting with irritation
irked drivers were honking and shouting at the cows in the road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in bothered
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of irked
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
His comments evidently irked the White House border czar, Tom Homan, who is Catholic.
—Francis X. Rocca, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Ausar Thompson, Wing, Detroit Pistons More than one call irked Thompson.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
What irked her most was the foregone futility of the day.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
SpaceX’s argument irked some critics, who say the company did nothing to address their concerns.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026
Alfonso’s familial advantage has irked some Wisconsin Republicans who don’t want the newcomer to glide into such an important position.
—Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 18 Mar. 2026
But what irked me the most was the shockingly sweet tomato sauce.
—Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2026
King in recent weeks had appeared irked by scrutiny being paid to CBS News, which has generated more attention since Weiss, an opinion journalist with little experience managing a mainstream media operation, joined last year.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
So what does a $77 rotisserie chicken say about the increasing wealth gap, the disparity between the leisure and working classes, and the overall affordability crisis that certainly irked those who balked at the price?
—Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026
His comments evidently irked the White House border czar, Tom Homan, who is Catholic.
—Francis X. Rocca, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Ausar Thompson, Wing, Detroit Pistons More than one call irked Thompson.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
What irked her most was the foregone futility of the day.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
SpaceX’s argument irked some critics, who say the company did nothing to address their concerns.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026
Alfonso’s familial advantage has irked some Wisconsin Republicans who don’t want the newcomer to glide into such an important position.
—Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 18 Mar. 2026
But what irked me the most was the shockingly sweet tomato sauce.
—Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2026
King in recent weeks had appeared irked by scrutiny being paid to CBS News, which has generated more attention since Weiss, an opinion journalist with little experience managing a mainstream media operation, joined last year.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irked
Adjective
-
Still annoyed, weirdly offended, and slightly spiraling.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
6 Apr. 2026
-
That would have been plenty, but a third section features Andrew Dismukes as an annoyed father refusing to listen to his 6-year-old son’s words.—
Omar L. Gallaga,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Only Lanie bothered to help me sort through what my mother had left behind, sort my days.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Collins believes, or at least implies, that the more radical tradition is the one that never bothered negotiating with those institutions at all—that the real fearlessness is in the work that was never asking for a seat at the table.—
Geoff Bennett,
The Atlantic,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
With them, her daughter’s skin no longer gets irritated, said Rickert, who got her business Cuddle-Kin off the ground last year.—
Kate Sequeira,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Everyone's just irritated with each other.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Three people told the Washington Examiner that Scott had become paranoid that Lewandowski was spying on him through his work phone and had bugged his office.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Underwood went on The Bachelor as a straight man, made a connection with Randolph, broke up with her, bugged her car, and then was hit with a restraining order.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Esther said that Kim was upset about McCormick's bizarre behavior.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The demonstrations have been primarily instigated by farmers, agricultural contractors and road haulage operators, who are upset with the government’s response to the spike in fuel prices since the onset of the Iran war.—
Michael Considine,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trump implemented a program offering migration and asylum to white Afrikaners who feel persecuted in South Africa.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
For years, deportations could be indefinitely delayed if an immigrant successfully argued that they’d be tortured or persecuted if they were returned home.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Woe be to the moony boyfriend or, in Nel’s case, exasperated girlfriend (Agata Trzebuchowska), left behind to dust off the ash.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
-
PepsiCo began cutting prices on value brands like Chester’s and Santitas last spring to win back exasperated customers.—
Boston Herald Wire Services,
Boston Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
One of them, Amy, a blond child with limp ponytails and a thin dress that looks like it might have been stained, stands outside a porch door, her fists balled up, mouth open, angry or unhappy or both.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Adames looked more perturbed than angry, putting his hands on his hips before taking off his helmet and slowly walking to first base.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irked. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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