irks 1 of 2

noun

plural of irk
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

irks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of irk
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

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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 irks
Verb
Tunnel clubs and creeping commercialisation which irks City’s legacy fans. — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 21 May 2026 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 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
  1. headaches
  2. annoys
  3. frustrations
  4. bothers
  5. nuisances
  6. irritates
  7. thorns
  8. bugs
Noun
  • Oshea Orchid, a local lawyer, filed the first class-action lawsuit in 2023 against the operators of the county’s second-largest landfill, alleging the fumes were sickening her neighbors, causing headaches and heart palpitations.
    — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
  • Body mists are usually an easy win for anyone prone to headaches.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 11 July 2026
Definition of headaches
Verb
  • Another potential ingredient in whether a company annoys customers is its business model.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 7 July 2026
  • That's Clearly Too Heavy This isn't just something that annoys flight attendants, but a potentially hazardous task for crew members.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
Definition of annoys
Noun
  • Rewarding The Long-Term Customer One of the most common frustrations in telecom is the belief that new customers get the best deals while long-term customers are left behind.
    — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Recent allegations of irregularities in government recruitment exams have only deepened frustrations among some young Indians.
    — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Definition of frustrations
Verb
  • If that bothers you, then a significant projection for Bo Nix’s season will make your skin crawl.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 July 2026
  • What bothers me more is when passengers take up valuable overhead bin space with personal items like backpacks and jackets before everyone has finished boarding.
    — Skyli Alvarez, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 July 2026
Definition of bothers
Noun
  • These seemingly minor nuisances are becoming a drain on municipal resources and complicating the rollout of robotaxi service.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 July 2026
  • Besides being nuisances, many types carry diseases including West Nile virus, encephalitis, and canine heartworm.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
Definition of nuisances
Verb
  • Anyone who has sat through a mandatory team-building exercise knows the difference between a ritual that binds and a program that irritates.
    — Julia Dhar, Time, 11 July 2026
  • If someone is in your life long enough, they’re bound to do something that irritates you—and you’re bound to do something that irritates them.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
Definition of irritates
Noun
  • And as Jones notes, much of that is due to the actors who’ve thrown themselves into the characters, thorns and all.
    — Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
  • Later, after a half-day tour to the nearby towns of Lampa and Pucará, the team made magic again, with a lunch in a forest of towering Puya raimondii, otherworldly bromeliads with thorns like piranha teeth.
    — Chris Schalkx, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
Definition of thorns
Verb
  • What really bugs me about this moment, and about the battle and its aftermath, is the lack of feeling.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • When traveling, the EPA suggests inspecting any room visitors will be staying in for the presence of bed bugs.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
Definition of bugs

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irks
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Cite this Entry

“Irks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irks. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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