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Some common synonyms of irk<\/em> are annoy<\/em><\/a>, bother<\/em><\/a>, and vex<\/em><\/a>. While all these words mean \"to upset a person's composure,\" irk<\/em> stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit.<\/p>

\/\/ careless waste irks<\/em> the boss<\/p>" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "In what contexts can 'annoy' take the place of 'irk'?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

While the synonyms annoy<\/em><\/a> and irk<\/em> are close in meaning, annoy<\/em> implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness.<\/p>

\/\/ their constant complaining annoys<\/em> us<\/p>" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Where would 'bother' be a reasonable alternative to 'irk'?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

The meanings of bother<\/em><\/a> and irk<\/em> largely overlap; however, bother<\/em> suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind.<\/p>

\/\/ don't bother<\/em> me while I'm reading<\/p>" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "When can 'vex' be used instead of 'irk'?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

The synonyms vex<\/em><\/a> and irk<\/em> are sometimes interchangeable, but vex<\/em> implies greater provocation and stronger disturbance and usually connotes anger but sometimes perplexity or anxiety.<\/p>

\/\/ vexed<\/em> by her son's failure to clean his room<\/p>" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How does the verb 'irk' differ from other similar words?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

Some common synonyms of irk<\/em> are annoy<\/em><\/a>, bother<\/em><\/a>, and vex<\/em><\/a>. While all these words mean \"to upset a person's composure,\" irk<\/em> stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit.<\/p>

\/\/ careless waste irks<\/em> the boss<\/p>" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "In what contexts can 'annoy' take the place of 'irk'?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

While the synonyms annoy<\/em><\/a> and irk<\/em> are close in meaning, annoy<\/em> implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness.<\/p>

\/\/ their constant complaining annoys<\/em> us<\/p>" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Where would 'bother' be a reasonable alternative to 'irk'?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

The meanings of bother<\/em><\/a> and irk<\/em> largely overlap; however, bother<\/em> suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind.<\/p>

\/\/ don't bother<\/em> me while I'm reading<\/p>" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "When can 'vex' be used instead of 'irk'?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

The synonyms vex<\/em><\/a> and irk<\/em> are sometimes interchangeable, but vex<\/em> implies greater provocation and stronger disturbance and usually connotes anger but sometimes perplexity or anxiety.<\/p>

\/\/ vexed<\/em> by her son's failure to clean his room<\/p>" } } ] }

irk 1 of 2

verb

ˈərk How to pronounce irk (audio)
Definition of irknext
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts she irked her friend by chewing her gum loudly during the movie

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

irk

2 of 2

noun

as in headache
something that is a source of irritation one of the prof's major irks is a cell phone that rings during a lecture

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb irk differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of irk are annoy, bother, and vex. While all these words mean "to upset a person's composure," irk stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit.

careless waste irks the boss

In what contexts can annoy take the place of irk?

While the synonyms annoy and irk are close in meaning, annoy implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness.

their constant complaining annoys us

Where would bother be a reasonable alternative to irk?

The meanings of bother and irk largely overlap; however, bother suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind.

don't bother me while I'm reading

When can vex be used instead of irk?

The synonyms vex and irk are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

How does the verb irk differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of irk are annoy, bother, and vex. While all these words mean "to upset a person's composure," irk stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit.

careless waste irks the boss

In what contexts can annoy take the place of irk?

While the synonyms annoy and irk are close in meaning, annoy implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness.

their constant complaining annoys us

Where would bother be a reasonable alternative to irk?

The meanings of bother and irk largely overlap; however, bother suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind.

don't bother me while I'm reading

When can vex be used instead of irk?

The synonyms vex and irk are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of irk
Verb
Ukraine’s manpower shortages irk her, as does the criticism of strongarm recruitment efforts. —Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 24 Feb. 2026 The media company’s positioning has already irked some of its existing stars. —Max Tani, semafor.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Noun
New reaction: Whoa, which baseball deity did this guy irk? —Zack Meisel, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025 The violence gets worse from there, and somehow all that is supposed to fit into a show about a Washington socialite whose biggest irk in the premiere is her rivalry with the first lady. —Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2022 See All Example Sentences for irk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irk
  1. annoy
  2. headache
  3. bother
  4. nuisance
  5. irritate
  6. thorn
  7. bug
  8. frustration
Verb
  • More traditional Bachelor Nation fans annoyed by the influencer-ification of reality TV already considered Paul the death knell for the franchise even before the recent scandal.
    — Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
  • While nobody at Netflix has suggested that the Sussexes violated any of the terms of their agreement, which allows the couple to engage in projects in other arenas and participate in interviews for other distribution outlets, many at the streamer were annoyed by the lack of communication.
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
Definition of annoy
Noun
  • Raise massive capital, hire hundreds of people, build a sprawling department for every operational headache — from VAT compliance in Marseille to sourcing logistics in Shenzhen.
    — Kuo Zhang, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026
  • However, despite Roy often being a headache for House GOP leadership, many MAGA Republicans still recognize Roy as a conservative fighter.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
Definition of headache
Verb
  • But a few days before Sonya disappeared, something was bothering her, her mother said.
    — Claire Osborn, Austin American Statesman, 21 Mar. 2026
  • The sidewalk was bustling, but no one even bothered to rubberneck.
    — Amanda Peet, New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2026
Definition of bother
Noun
  • Pollution was legally viewed as a local nuisance – the unavoidable price of progress.
    — Ella Whitman, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Quantum measurement disturbance, ordinarily a nuisance, would serve as a shield against prying eyes.
    — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of nuisance
Verb
  • While it’s powered by retinol, an ingredient known to be irritating, this treats my under-eye with care.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 19 Mar. 2026
  • All these questions started to irritate him.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Mar. 2026
Definition of irritate
Noun
  • Odor is a botanical defense mechanism as much as thistles and thorns.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
  • The spirit of the endeavor can forgive a lot, with some clumsy filmmaking that doesn’t seem to be an intentional homage, such as a slapdash set-up to Helen’s murderous ways and a slightly tacked-on feeling opening involving a film critic who has been a thorn in Jack’s side.
    — Stephen Saito, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
Definition of thorn
Verb
  • So, all the things people were yelling about with Southwest weren’t bugging me.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026
  • But so much of my journalism has been about something that’s bugging me.
    — Jack Denton, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of bug
Noun
  • But Apple shut down Dark Sky in 2023, prompting an online outcry, and Grossman eventually left out of frustration with Apple’s sluggish corporate schedule of annual software updates.
    — Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Luz Diaz Luz Diaz took her frustration to Hackensack City Hall on Tuesday evening.
    — Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of frustration

Browse Nearby Words

iring
irk
irked
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Cite this Entry

“Irk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irk. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of irk for Spanish Speakers

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