1
as in annoys
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
my coworkers' loud, endless conversations vexed me
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vexes
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
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vexes
Verb
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What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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Think of something that annoys you, connect it to masculinity by adding bro, and proceed as though that bro were a category of person.—
Dan Brooks,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But the unknown in that equation is what perplexes the Mavericks and has the team stuck for now.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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His approach is to look at what bothers that person the most.—
Kaicey Baylor,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
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The political rhetoric aimed at ridiculing Canada bothers Johnson.—
Jeanne Bonner,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Learn about Outside Online's affiliate link policy Go somewhere that confuses your algorithm.—
Kevin Sintumuang,
Outside,
10 Mar. 2026
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An actress in 1962 Cuban, as its missiles crisis rages, confuses her role in a film and real life.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Castor Oil Castor oil irritates the digestive system of the moles and makes the soil less inviting to them.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
7 Mar. 2026
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Weed pollen typically irritates people in the late summer and early fall.—
Seth Jacobson,
wickedlocal.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Nandi is experiencing severe insomnia, tremors and psychosis, and her quickly deteriorating condition bewilders the emergency room staff.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
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The designs were puckish and gender-bending, evoking both awe and repulsion—the sort of clothing that titillates lovers of conceptual fashion and bewilders the uninitiated.—
Ana Karina Zatarain,
New Yorker,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The move baffles health care advocates and Medicaid experts.—
Daniel Chang,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
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Mount predator baffles and guards to the pole or tree during installation.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vexes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vexes. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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