VEXES Synonyms: 162 Similar and Opposite Words

vexes

verb

present tense third-person singular of vex

as in annoys

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts my coworkers' loud, endless conversations vexed me

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as in perplexes

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty a mystery novel that is sure to vex even the canniest readers

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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 vexes As much as the parameter-less financial model of the modern major college athletic department vexes leaders, the realities of the transfer portal are a close second — because they are linked. — Mac Engel april 23, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026 In flashbacks, viewers learn why Dorothy (Amanda Righetti) left an 11-year-old Lucy (Savannah Lumar) in Kay’s care, and how Lucy and Kay’s codependency continually vexes Dorothy. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vexes

Verb

Another potential ingredient in whether a company annoys customers is its business model.

— Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 7 July 2026
That's Clearly Too Heavy This isn't just something that annoys flight attendants, but a potentially hazardous task for crew members.

— Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026

Definition of annoys

Verb

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
What bothers me more is when passengers take up valuable overhead bin space with personal items like backpacks and jackets before everyone has finished boarding.

— Skyli Alvarez, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 July 2026

Definition of bothers

Verb

These opportunists drown out the core mission, creating a cacophony of competing voices that confuses donors, crowd the inboxes of CEOs and members of Congress with colliding petitions, and paralyzes meaningful action by draining critical funding and attention away from the truly effective groups.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 28 June 2026
But nobody confuses Harvard Extension School classes with the real thing.

— Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 23 June 2026

Definition of confuses

Verb

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
If someone is in your life long enough, they’re bound to do something that irritates you—and you’re bound to do something that irritates them.

— Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026

Definition of irritates

Verb

As fans of the comedian know, Ali G is a streetwise interviewer whose hip hop slang often bewilders guests such as Noam Chomsky, Andy Rooney and Newt Gingrich.

— Brent Lang, Variety, 7 July 2026
The narrator and his wife find that their attachment to the charismatic and cryptic Chibi grows with the cat’s increasing visits, in a way that bewilders them but somehow bonds them closer together.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026

Definition of bewilders

Verb

China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.

— Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025

Definition of persecutes

Verb

Meanwhile, McGrew agreed to adjustments, including adding baffles to reduce sound from a attached generator for the tower and replacing tower fencing that incorporated barbed wire with taller, more natural looking fencing.

— Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
Using humane methods like squirrel baffles and tree nets can effectively keep squirrels out of your fruit trees.

— Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 18 June 2026

Definition of baffles

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vexed

vexes

vexing

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“Vexes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vexes. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of vexes

verb

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