as in headaches
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in annoys
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 irks
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
Ramírez has yet to win a Gold Glove Award, which irks him.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
There's something about red that just really irks me.
—Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 12 Nov. 2025
This particular iteration just irks you for some reason.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
There is no appeal process, which irks Smith.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
It's pumiced enough to have no snags, no irks.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
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
Verb
Will’s short stature and lack of experience irks his idol Jett Filmore (Gabrielle Union, doing some complex voice acting), the Thorns’ aging star player.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
Ramírez has yet to win a Gold Glove Award, which irks him.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
There's something about red that just really irks me.
—Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 12 Nov. 2025
This particular iteration just irks you for some reason.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
There is no appeal process, which irks Smith.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
It's pumiced enough to have no snags, no irks.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irks
Noun
-
Major industry groups including the American Petroleum Institute have not fought to kill the federal endangerment finding, because a patchwork of state laws could ultimately replace it — leading to legal headaches and a raft of nuisance lawsuits against them, experts said.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The philosopher’s epic struggles with headaches led in part to his belief that God was dead, and also to a belief that pain, both physical and emotional, was more generative than health.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
One of its two young sibling protagonists, Amber (Bianca Belle), channels her feelings about the recent death of her mother into drawings of creatures born out of her troubled imagination, some of whom enact violence against the classmate who annoys her.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
-
There's just one thing about Claire Danes that annoys Matthew Rhys.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
22 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
One thing that bothers him, though, is the calls from GVA asking for cash to shore up financing on the underwater properties as loan rates skyrocketed and monthly debt servicing led to losses.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Most people are able to put the splint away once their plantar fasciitis no longer bothers them.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Holly Sleppy, a 52-year-old who works at Virtua, shared her frustrations, which many menopausal women are feeling because of a shortage of the estrogen patches used to treat symptoms like hot flashes, irritability and brain fog.—
Stephanie Stahl,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Elfman, sharing the board’s frustrations, said Foxboro’s police and fire chiefs have been preparing for the World Cup for over three years.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
There’s another distinctly New York habit that irritates Manville — at the end of the performances, theatergoers leap to their feat, not just to applaud, but to whip out their cellphones to record the curtain call.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Somehow, this irritates Helen even more.—
Sadia Shepard,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Barry said the new penalties are being enacted to coincide with the town’s passage of new rules dealing with nuisances and stormwater issues.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Jody Allen should not appear on a list of the NFL’s biggest nuisances.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Travelers are advised to inspect hotel rooms upon arrival and use precautions like plastic bags or luggage liners to prevent bringing bed bugs home.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Check the head and base and foot of the bed, peeling back the top sheet to look for evidence on mattress covers, box springs, dust ruffles, and the headboard—and most importantly, the mattress seams and piping because bed bugs like to hide in cracks and crevices.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
25 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
As a bonus, currant shrubs lack the thorns found on many other berry bushes.—
Anne Readel,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Beyond the trees a fence of thorns.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irks. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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