annoy implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness.
their constant complaining annoys us
vex implies greater provocation and stronger disturbance and usually connotes anger but sometimes perplexity or anxiety.
vexed by her son's failure to clean his room
irk stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit.
careless waste irks the boss
bother suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind.
don't bother me while I'm reading
Examples of vex in a Sentence
This problem has vexed researchers for years.
We were vexed by the delay.
Recent Examples on the WebThe group on Wednesday’s call seemed vexed that the views of a few prominent members of their sector had come to be perceived as representative of the venture capital community’s political leanings.—Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 8 Aug. 2024 By the numbers: The labor shortage vexing health care at large is acutely impacting behavioral health treatment access.—Claire Rychlewski, Axios, 23 July 2024 As president, Joe Biden has led our country capably through vexing domestic public health, climate, and public safety crises while uniting allies to join forces to counter global security threats.—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 2 July 2024 The trial, once expected to start this summer, has been delayed indefinitely by U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon, who has vexed prosecutors with her glacial pace and favorable rulings for Trump.—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 24 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for vex
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vex.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French vexer, from Latin vexare to agitate, harry; probably akin to Latin vehere to convey — more at way
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