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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of vexed
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
But best of all here is the vexed mother/daughter relationship, which can echo Lizzy’s terms with her own mother.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 4 June 2025
Christopher Cann, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
Micromoths have long vexed entomologists.
—Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vexed
Adjective
Who would not raise a glass to the memory of so vexed a merrymaker, under whose spell the city is transformed into an exotic pastoral?
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
But best of all here is the vexed mother/daughter relationship, which can echo Lizzy’s terms with her own mother.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 4 June 2025
Verb
Experts said accountability for employers for hiring unauthorized workers has vexed officials for decades, including both Democratic and Republican administrations.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
Micromoths have long vexed entomologists.
—Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vexed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vexed
Adjective
-
Virginia was annoyed to see her association made public and suspected someone at Rinehart had talked to Kilgallen.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
-
But that fun idea went south when Barlow became annoyed with her castmate Whitney Rose.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Hollywood CEOs aren’t getting hot and bothered about using AI to completely replace real-life movie stars; the guilds wouldn’t allow it, and audiences wouldn’t want it.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Burrow, who spoke with media after the Bengals lost 18-20 to the Cleveland Browns, seemed bothered by his 'do from the start, sitting down at the mic and instantly raking his lengthy bangs back with his hands.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Although puzzled, Aisha answered honestly.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Like his wife, Moore was puzzled when their friend didn’t show up to eat dinner.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
If left to build up on the skin, these substances can make skin look and feel dull or irritated.—
Leslie Baumann,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2026
-
At first blush, Rachel appears to be a mousy wallflower irritated by Marty’s fast-cash gambits.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Banks has bugged Kerkering to clean his locker, to no avail.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Power gains are bugged to be too low for a new power grind that no one wants to do anyway.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
At a vigil for the two on Sunday night, friends and family were baffled by the killing, the Allentown Morning Call reported.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Scientists are also baffled by how the planet could have formed at all.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
23 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
It certainly can be deployed sincerely, yet it’s almost always accompanied by a good-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, shake of the head.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
3 Jan. 2026
-
Let the Big Three ride out the final years of this glorious era together, with Kerr looking on, exasperated but content in the final year of his contract.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
24 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Open Doors is a global Christian charity supporting Christians persecuted for their faith.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
28 Dec. 2025
-
Most commonly, people felt they were being persecuted via their electronics – that their Wi-Fi networks, computers or cellphones had been hacked or implanted with tracking devices.—
Alaina Vandervoort Burns,
The Conversation,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vexed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vexed. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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