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 WebEarly in his bold and vexing new reality show, Jerrod Carmichael hears a knock at the door and opens it to find a very tall man in a ski mask and goggles just standing there.—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 13 May 2024 The healthcare provided to people inside San Diego County’s seven jails is critical to preventing deaths in custody — a problem that has vexed the Sheriff’s Department for more than a decade.—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2024 The lack of legal clarity has vexed defense lawyers and law enforcement officers — natural adversaries in the criminal justice system — who both say the current system can be confusing to navigate.—Jacob Resneck, Journal Sentinel, 10 May 2024 Intriguingly, Madison Avenue’s demands are likely to vex even the digital giants that have come to vacuum up some of the ad money that once went to TV.—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 7 May 2024 The colt is the reigning 2-year-old champion and morning-line Derby favorite and perhaps Repole’s best chance to win a race that has utterly vexed him.—Joe Drape, New York Times, 3 May 2024 But, experts warn, the findings display far from a unanimous tilt towards China amid the great-power rivalry vexing the region.—Koh Ewe, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024 Local officials were perhaps most vexed by the cars.—Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024 The question seemed to vex the many passers-by who stopped to gape.—Priya Krishna, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
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
Share