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
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
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
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What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?
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One of the more common ways bear encounters escalate is when an off-leash dog runs toward a bear, annoys it, and then comes sprinting back to its owner with an angry predator in pursuit.
Verb
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But the unknown in that equation is what perplexes the Mavericks and has the team stuck for now.
Verb
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Oh, and more often than not, nobody bothers to check whether the change intervention actually worked, or whether leaders improve their performance after all!
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The government no longer even bothers to disguise itself as a democracy.
Verb
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But nobody confuses Harvard Extension School classes with the real thing.
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If a neighbor or sibling confuses the thread, summarize and invite a decision.
Verb
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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.
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Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing.
Verb
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For three years straight, he’s kept up a pace that bewilders the industry’s leading comics.
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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.
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.
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In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.
Verb
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Using humane methods like squirrel baffles and tree nets can effectively keep squirrels out of your fruit trees.
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Multiple baffles within the bladder help keep the liquid from sloshing around excessively, while a wide waterproof zipper across the top makes for easy filling, cleaning, and adding of electrolytes.
Cite this Entry
“Vexes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vexes. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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