as in annoyed
subjected to and reacting with irritation
my dog was clearly vexed with me for having been gone all week, and hardly greeted me when I came home
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also vext
1
as in bothered
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
my coworkers' loud, endless conversations vexed me
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puzzled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
a mystery novel that is sure to vex even the canniest readers
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of vexed
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Brooding in the historical background are the plantations, the vexed issue of where the money comes from that underwrites all this charm, these impeccable manners, this unsteady gaiety.
—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Chase Peterson-Withorn,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
From the moment the Dutch colonized the area in the 17th century, disposing of trash has vexed New York City leaders, recognized as heroes when the city somehow gets clean and villainized when the trash piles soar.
—
Tim Craig The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vexed
Adjective
Freezing the landscape in time is what the people of Vermont, and not merely tourists, want, but it’s also left residents with a vexed regard for visitors.
—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Brooding in the historical background are the plantations, the vexed issue of where the money comes from that underwrites all this charm, these impeccable manners, this unsteady gaiety.
—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
His wealth explosion has inspired his devotees, exhilarated his investors, vexed the skeptical and enraged those calling for higher taxes on the ultra-rich.
—
Chase Peterson-Withorn,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
From the moment the Dutch colonized the area in the 17th century, disposing of trash has vexed New York City leaders, recognized as heroes when the city somehow gets clean and villainized when the trash piles soar.
—
Tim Craig The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vexed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vexed
Adjective
-
Hardin is more amused than annoyed, particularly given the origin of the FTD Burger.
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Still, Pochettino’s tone indicated he was still annoyed to have lost.
Verb
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The messaging bothered Al-Shaair deeply and still does.
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Neighbors bothered by crowing or other issues can file nuisance complaints with Animal Care and Control.
Verb
-
Pochettino seemed puzzled by the downcast tone of his post-match press conference.
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Astronomers are puzzled that such a glaring inconsistency could have gone unnoticed in existing data, such as the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), which provides our earliest snapshot of the universe.
Adjective
-
There was a point in Patrick Paul’s ascension last season where his smirk, his hearty chuckles irritated, if not frustrated his opponents to the point of anger.
-
On Friday, a cloud of irritated bees swarmed the linden’s trunk about 20 feet up, where wind from strong storms the night before had snapped it.
Verb
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When Riley returned to the table, La La told me that his high profile in the city sometimes bugged her, because fans were always interrupting them, even sitting down at their table.
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Upon arriving at big-league camp this spring, Rojas said the different grip initially bugged him.
Verb
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His mother, Ahmani Hicks, describes him as a kid who loved sports, and she's baffled as to why her son was targeted.
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Known as the Galactic Center Excess, a spherical gamma-ray glow extending out for thousands of light-years from the core of our galaxy, this high-energy light has baffled researchers for over a decade.
Adjective
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For a variety of reasons that weren’t immediately entirely clear, there was a comprehensive and fundamental breakdown in access to the stadium that left many exasperated or furious.
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Such a reader would be even more exasperated by The End of Everything, which turns the dial up several notches.
Verb
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In Britain, all the large predators had long since been exterminated and the smaller ones (like foxes) were ruthlessly persecuted.
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Supporting people who have too often been, and continue to be, persecuted and othered would be a direct way to address the suffering.
Cite this Entry
“Vexed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vexed. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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