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
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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
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
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
Noun
-
Folks who live close to data centers have reported headaches, vertigo, nausea, sleep disturbances, ear pain and hypertension, the institute website says.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
-
People in the trial reported similar side effects to those from mRNA Covid vaccines — flu-like symptoms including chills and headaches — that only lasted a couple of days.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
-
Seeing this much effort put into ripping off people annoys him.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
What bothers me still is the Maloofs or (current ownership) never honored Rick with a special night.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
-
Shields added at the time that she's learned to speak up when something bothers her rather than assuming her spouse can read her mind.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Lahn seized on those frustrations.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
3 June 2026
-
Body language aside, Brown also didn’t share his frustrations publicly, declining to speak with reporters.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing.—
Lé Baltar,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
-
The impish half-smile that irritates opponents eventually returns to his face, though.—
Chris Smith,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
Noun
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For buyers whose lives are otherwise optimized to the point of abstraction, taking on those tangible nuisances can feel almost noble.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
-
Japanese beetles and slugs are pesky nuisances that will go after the basil in your garden.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
As an existing subdivision — 99% of it vacant — Azure Vista offered hundreds of buildable vacant lots populated only by red ants, quail and Groucho Marx bugs.—
Eric DuVall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Other diamonds have spikier settings resembling thorns.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
27 May 2026
-
Thanks to four layers of latex and a 3750D elastic outer fabric, the inner hose is protected from pesky things like thorns and sharp corners.—
Quincy Bulin,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irks. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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