irking

verb

present participle of irk
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 irking The station played popular music only at night, irking listeners and causing pirate radio stations to proliferate. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026 But irking jealous opposing coaches with a little tampering is one thing. — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 11 June 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irking
  1. annoying
  2. bothering
  3. irritating
  4. bugging
  5. persecuting
  6. aggravating
Verb
  • Kids in all three countries loved learning dances from TikTok and annoying their siblings.
    — Ryan Lenora Brown, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Of course, this would depend on whether the managers choose to pick their strongest teams in what for some is a meaningless, even annoying extra fixture, for squads who just want to go home.
    — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of annoying
Verb
  • For example, companies that benefit from customers not bothering to cancel subscriptions, compare prices, or search for better deals have taken a beating in recent weeks.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
  • If neck pain keeps coming back or the lines bothering you keep getting deeper, talk with a doctor or dermatologist instead of relying on a gadget alone.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of bothering
Verb
  • Tactics such as ragebait have only added to the fatigue, irritating enthusiasts already frustrated by the relentless churn of slop.
    — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The first step to brighter-looking underarms is figuring out what might be irritating them in the first place.
    — Glamour, Glamour, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of irritating
Verb
  • However, in-flight cabin etiquette is only one part of what’s bugging travelers this summer.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The necessity of the trip at all is what's been bugging me.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 12 June 2026
Definition of bugging
Verb
  • Biden weaponized Law Enforcement against his political opponent, while also persecuting many other innocent people.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 11 June 2026
  • Jack Hayford, the founder of the King’s University, in Texas, claimed that the film was persecuting Christians, who only wanted to be treated equally.
    — Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
Definition of persecuting
Verb
  • And those are things that end up aggravating behavioral health disabilities.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
  • With Williams dealing with an injury that’s always tricky for players in this league, there’s no reason to rush him back and risk aggravating it again.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of aggravating

Browse Nearby Words

irked
irking
irks
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Irking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irking. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of abscond

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All