vexing

adjective

vex·​ing ˈvek-siŋ How to pronounce vexing (audio)
: causing or likely to cause vexation : vexatious
a vexing problem
vexingly adverb

Examples of vexing in a Sentence

the constantly changing schedule was somewhat vexing, but I coped
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The height of the Soviet-era cruise missile threat was quite remarkable, but Beijing's ability to layer in many types of anti-ship weapons, including anti-ship ballistic missiles of various types, especially those with very-long range, is a uniquely vexing problem. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025 In a vexing case, what was unheard and what did not happen proved to be the crucial evidence. Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2025 All being well, The New Yorker can be expected to provoke any future historians with its mettle, its range, its vexing quirks, and the fizz of its curiosity. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 5 May 2025 This plan, officially called the Repayment Assistance Plan, aims to make student loan payments more manageable for future borrowers while solving a vexing problem: balances that grow instead of shrink. Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vexing

Word History

First Known Use

1569, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vexing was in 1569

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vexing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vexing. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

vexing

adjective
: causing or likely to cause vexation : vexatious
a vexing problem

More from Merriam-Webster on vexing

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