vex

verb

ˈveks 

vexed also vext ˈvekst  ; vexing

transitive verb

1

a

: to bring trouble, distress, or agitation to

the restaurant is vexed by slow service

b

: to bring physical distress to

a headache vexed him all morning

c

: to irritate or annoy by petty provocations : harass

vexed by the children

d

: puzzle, baffle

a problem to vex the keenest wit

2

: to shake or toss about

Synonyms

• annoy
• bother
• irritate
• persecute
• bug
• aggravate

Choose the Right Synonym for vex

annoy, vex, irk, bother mean to upset a person's composure.

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 Web

HGVs can carry warheads at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound with irregular flight trajectories that can vex missile defenses. —Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025

One vexing issue that adds to the complexity is that some AIs are better than other ones at figuring out certain types of things. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

As runaway production continues to vex Hollywood, the beachside SoCal city has created a new agency focused on promoting it as a site for film and television production. —Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025

That said, passkeys provide an authentication alternative that’s by far the most resistant to date to the types of account takeovers that have vexed online services and their users for decades. —Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2025

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for vex

• becks
• checks
• czechs
• decks
• dex
• ex
• flecks
• flex
• hex
• lex
• necks
• pecks

Kids Definition

vex

verb

ˈveks 

vexed also vext; vexing

1

: to bring trouble, distress, or worry to

vexed by thoughts of what could have been

2

: to annoy continually with little irritations

vexed by the children