as in annoying
causing annoyance
the irksome habit of leaving all the kitchen cabinet doors open
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 irksome
Skarsgård is sufficiently wacky and off-putting as the irksome Johannes, and Jamie Demetriou does yeoman’s work as Charli’s put-upon manager, Tim, the poor sap tapped to keep Charli on task (and usually fails).
—
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
There are a few reasons why these words are so irksome.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
His quarry was Frank Sinatra, the reigning entertainment icon of the 20th century, then on the verge of turning the irksome age of 50.
—Mark Rozzo, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
But Cho isn’t studying irksome effects like hay fever, or what pollen means for the plants that make it.
—Sandy Ong, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for irksome
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
There are a few reasons why these words are so irksome.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
His quarry was Frank Sinatra, the reigning entertainment icon of the 20th century, then on the verge of turning the irksome age of 50.
—Mark Rozzo, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
But Cho isn’t studying irksome effects like hay fever, or what pollen means for the plants that make it.
—Sandy Ong, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for irksome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irksome
Adjective
-
Some of the dead-on precision of Nilles’ attack was lost by out-of-sync video screens, an annoying glitch that needs attention given her monster performance.—
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
But still, today’s astro-weather pulls your attention toward friends, collaborators and future plans, and one annoying money issue (or self-worth issue) could completely throw off your mood.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
Korda’s final putt of the day curled in the right side of the cup to solidify her second consecutive round of 67 at Riviera after beginning the championship with a frustrating 2-over 73.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
7 June 2026
-
Deer And Rabbit Damage Deer have a frustrating habit of nibbling the flowers off of hydrangeas.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Again, this is very Yellowstone for Rip to have an excessively violent response to an irritating obstacle.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
This is a company that built its reputation on engineering discipline, financial caution, and an almost irritating level of consistency.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
This approach to archival material thus wrestles with a disturbing present in which family dispossession is both normalized and pathologized in the media every single day.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
The report, released Thursday, details disturbing accounts from several of Platner’s ex-girlfriends.—
Britta Miller,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irksome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irksome. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
