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
That includes a 1986 quarterfinal match in Mexico that still irks England fans. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irks
  1. headaches
  2. annoys
  3. frustrations
  4. bothers
  5. nuisances
  6. irritates
  7. thorns
  8. bugs
Noun
  • Around one in 13 people experience recurring morning headaches, research suggests, with women and those between the ages of 45 and 64 more likely to have them.
    — Kathleen Felton, Washington Post, 17 July 2026
  • As body temperature rises and humidity limits the body’s ability to cool itself, mild symptoms such as cramps and headaches can progress to shortness of breath, dizziness, confusion, nausea, and ultimately life-threatening heat stroke.
    — Laura Schifter, Time, 17 July 2026
Definition of headaches
Verb
  • Hotel-booking platform HotelTonight surveyed 447 of its American adult users in June about what annoys them the most during travel.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 21 July 2026
  • But Turner is a symbol for everything that annoys people about the Phillies.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Definition of annoys
Noun
  • What’s off-putting in Future’s search for The Real Me is how often his frustrations turn into resentment toward the women around him.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 15 July 2026
  • Drivers have made little secret of their frustrations with the new car designs that were introduced this year.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of frustrations
Verb
  • Refresh the space that bothers you most before making bigger visibility decisions.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 20 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of bothers
Noun
  • City outlines Robandee nuisances The Robandee was once a neighborhood hub but has since fallen into disrepair and has experienced fires.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
  • These seemingly minor nuisances are becoming a drain on municipal resources and complicating the rollout of robotaxi service.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 July 2026
Definition of nuisances
Verb
  • The capsaicin in hot peppers irritates pests and deters them from feeding on plants.
    — Farima Ferguson, The Spruce, 15 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of irritates
Noun
  • Worst of all, these trees have become invasive, crossing with other Callery cultivars to create wild hybrids that produce four-inch-long thorns.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 15 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of thorns
Verb
  • Lift sheets, curtains and cushions to check for bed bugs or signs of bed bugs before settling in.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
  • Instead, as Laura bugs her sister long enough about just forgiving her already, Mary explodes.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026
Definition of bugs

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Cite this Entry

“Irks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irks. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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