as in annoying
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
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Recent Examples of irking
And analysts say that countries, including smaller developing markets, may be more wary of irking China, even to protect the growth of their own manufacturing sectors – especially when contending with a US trade war.
—
Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 15 Jan. 2026
The ongoing preference for Brenden Aaronson over Daniel James is irking some corners of the fanbase, too.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 15 Jan. 2026
The ongoing preference for Brenden Aaronson over Daniel James is irking some corners of the fanbase, too.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irking
Verb
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Sometimes, rage bait can be relatively harmless – a recipe that contains disgusting food combinations or someone annoying their pet, partner or sibling.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
1 Dec. 2025
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But what’s been annoying me even more is that these women should have been trained by producers to start recording on their own cell phones if drama starts to unfold after cameras go down.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
12 Nov. 2025
Verb
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If your knee is bothering you, for instance, the vibration might distract your brain enough for the pain to temporarily retreat.—
Jennifer Heimlich,
Time,
23 Jan. 2026
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Is a man bothering you at a bar?—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Cold outdoor air plus active heat indoors can pull moisture from both the scalp and hair shaft, which can be irritating.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
29 Jan. 2026
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But for most of us and in our daily lives, epistemic trespassing is simply irritating.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That thing’s been bugging on him for a while.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
29 Dec. 2025
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Then Julian dropped one of his wireless earbuds into Olympia’s purse, using it as a crude bugging device.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Trump has repeatedly alleged that the South African government is actively persecuting white citizens, particularly farmers.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
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The former human-rights lawyer entered on a tourist visa and filed for political asylum in October of that year, claiming the governments that succeeded Correa were persecuting him.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But in other parts of the city the presence of ICE was aggravating existing antipathy for local law enforcement.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
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Reaves is approaching the four-week point after aggravating his calf injury on Christmas Day.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irking. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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