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
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of irk
Ethan Millman, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2025
President Trump has enjoyed some of his highest approval ratings in the early days of his second term — though the specifics of his aggressive policies have begun to irk Americans in recent polling.
—Mike Allen, Axios, 16 Mar. 2025
Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2022
The Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson varieties seem to sit somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of immunological irk.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 1 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for irk
Verb
Spotify also irked the songwriter community last year over its controversial bundling strategy that lead to songwriters getting paid a lower royalty rate.
—Ethan Millman, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2025
President Trump has enjoyed some of his highest approval ratings in the early days of his second term — though the specifics of his aggressive policies have begun to irk Americans in recent polling.
—Mike Allen, Axios, 16 Mar. 2025
Noun
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
The Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson varieties seem to sit somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of immunological irk.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 1 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for irk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irk
Verb
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Seiders, 44, is charged with felony child pornography possession, misdemeanor annoying a child under 18, concealing a camera with intent to invade privacy and attempting to conceal a camera.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
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What annoyed me was good old-fashioned stupid gameplay.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Aside from her talk about specific songs, Roan also opened up about the creative process, which can sometimes be a massive headache, despite her being known for her catalog of fun and peppy songs.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
17 Apr. 2025
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Making matters worse, China’s been a real headache for Starbucks, even before the tariffs, on increasing local competition and tepid growth in the world’s second-largest economy.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Pairing some active ingredients can irritate the skin, and other combinations may reduce the effectiveness of the ingredients.1 1.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
18 Apr. 2025
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This can be particularly irritating to eczema-prone skin.—
Sierra Leone Starks,
Allure,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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On April 30th, 2022, a security guard at a local business plaza called the police to report Mary as a nuisance.—
Sarah Stillman,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
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Protester Trenton Oldfield swam in front of both boats and was jailed for six months for causing a public nuisance.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow was popular enough that fans wanted a solo story, but the studio didn't bother to make it until her character was already dead in the major timeline, then skipped the theatrical release, which Johansson sued them about.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
19 Apr. 2025
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So much so that Gillaspie didn’t bother to even grab a towel last summer when a pitching coach yelled into the visiting showers to alert him that Triple-A El Paso manager Pete Zamora needed to see him.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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To shield your hands against thorns when pruning, wear leather or leatherlike gloves.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Apr. 2025
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Trees like Texas ebony and mesquite that have thorns to protect them from munching animals and long roots to tap moisture deep within the earth.—
Laura Mallonee,
Wired News,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Aaron Boone said Bellinger’s back started bugging him during Thursday’s game against the Diamondbacks.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
4 Apr. 2025
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Ralph Macchio on the one thing that still bugs him about Karate Kid Part II My Cousin Vinny tells the story of three bombastic Italian-Americans caught up in an over-the-top legal drama.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
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This has been a source of frustration for the woman’s mother, who desires more time with her grandchildren.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
16 Apr. 2025
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This largely comes from a place of frustration at what is perceived as self-hate.—
Tayler Adigun,
Essence,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irk. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
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