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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb vex differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of vex are annoy, bother, and irk. While all these words mean "to upset a person's composure," vex implies greater provocation and stronger disturbance and usually connotes anger but sometimes perplexity or anxiety.

vexed by her son's failure to clean his room

Where would annoy be a reasonable alternative to vex?

The synonyms annoy and vex are sometimes interchangeable, but annoy implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness.

their constant complaining annoys us

When can bother be used instead of vex?

While the synonyms bother and vex are close in meaning, bother suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind.

don't bother me while I'm reading

When is it sensible to use irk instead of vex?

In some situations, the words irk and vex are roughly equivalent. However, irk stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit.

careless waste irks the boss

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 vex As so often, what might have vexed or depressed many authors was, for Leonard, an extra helping of grist. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 30 June 2025 They’re also vexed by the vehicles’ human attendants, who work in large lots located in residential areas and loudly vacuum the taxis between fares. Jade Walker, CNN Money, 26 June 2025 Therefore, the centrifuges may vex Netanyahu’s war aims. Sebastien Roblin, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025 John Birdsall: That question has been vexing me for more than a decade. Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for vex
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vex
Verb
  • That acquisition annoyed shareholders and customers alike, with investors taking issue with the fact that it was structured to avoid a vote.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 25 July 2025
  • Meanwhile, be patient with daily contacts, especially siblings and relatives who might annoy you.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • At the time, I was perplexed and questioned if this was necessary.
    Susan Horava, Health, 24 June 2025
  • Ultimately, the remaining Islanders dumped Jeremiah and Hannah, a controversial move that left viewers at home perplexed as to why this decision was made.
    Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • This means that some people might not bother using them.
    Ben Coxworth July 26, New Atlas, 26 July 2025
  • But one aspect of his robberies bothers him to this day.
    Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 26 July 2025
Verb
  • Still, my friends and I, specifically those who were teen-agers or older at the time of 9/11, have been bewildered by the Islamophobia of the moment, which feels especially vintage and plainspoken, not massaged into obfuscatory rhetoric or angling for any greater point.
    Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 13 July 2025
  • In the moment, Kyle looked bewildered that the musician had singled him out, smiling with his mouth open in shock.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • It was heard, and irritating, in all places at all times.
    Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2025
  • For Wiles and other top aides, winning in the midterms is crucial — more crucial than publicly flaming a lawmaker who has a history of irritating Trump.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • The snake is also easily confused with the Brahminy blind snake, also known as the flowerpot snake, an invasive species in Barbados, according to Re:wild.
    Bailey Richards, People.com, 23 July 2025
  • Baun’s ability to play on the line of scrimmage allowed defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to shift the front with Baun moving from off-ball to edge or vice versa right before the snap, confusing the blocking assignments for the offense.
    Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • Soliman spent about four years at Cincinnati Children's, first arriving in the United States in 2014 after being persecuted in his native Egypt for work in support of freelance journalists.
    Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 25 July 2025
  • The state government, closely aligned with Virginia’s de facto official Anglican church, persecuted Baptists during the 18th century.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Money terms and concepts continue to baffle people, many of whom are seeking answers through online searches.
    Russ Wiles, USA Today, 12 July 2025
  • Even with the other guys' admonitions not to, under any circumstances, be themselves, Dee and Charlie's improbable success in charming these scions of the Philly upper crust had the guys — and us — both baffled and anxiously awaiting an ugly twist.
    Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 10 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vex.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vex. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.

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