1
as in wears
to damage or diminish by continued friction
move that rope so the sharp edge of the hull doesn't gall it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in bothers
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
humming through your nose like that absolutely galls me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of galls
What galls them is Toberoff’s tooth-and-nail negotiations and his insistence on becoming a producer himself, complete with credit and fees.
—
Tom Dotan,
Vanity Fair,
23 Feb. 2026
What especially galls Marion is having eight touchdowns called back this season.
—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Tom Dotan,
Vanity Fair,
23 Feb. 2026
What especially galls Marion is having eight touchdowns called back this season.
—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for galls
Verb
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Rodríguez Castro wears a stainless-steel version on his left wrist.
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Team Visma-Lease A Bike’s Jonas Vingegaard currently wears the yellow jersey after two stages, while Mexico’s Isaac del Toro of UAE Team Emirates won his first Tour de France stage on Sunday afternoon.
Verb
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What bothers me is the foot-dragging, the spinning in circles, the slow degradation of these characters into annoying stereotypes.
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What bothers me is the implication of a Labubu National Team full of these things.
Verb
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If someone is in your life long enough, they’re bound to do something that irritates you—and you’re bound to do something that irritates them.
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Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing.
Verb
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Financial privacy erodes gradually through risk assessments, compliance obligations, information sharing partnerships and international standards presented as technical rather than political.
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This undermines financial stability, erodes reserves intended for true emergencies, and increases the likelihood of necessary cuts or emergency measures in the future.
Verb
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What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?
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One of the more common ways bear encounters escalate is when an off-leash dog runs toward a bear, annoys it, and then comes sprinting back to its owner with an angry predator in pursuit.
Verb
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Food particles and microorganisms can become trapped in the nicks, grooves, and scratches on the board.
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Price's dog Chaos suffered extensive blood loss and several gashes and scratches from the bear attack.
Verb
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Conjuring the troubled inner life of a young, successful Buenos Aires fashion designer with an uncommon mix of stylistic rigor and feeling, the film frays your nerves.
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The coalition of supporters frays Still another issue is conflict within the legalization movement itself, particularly between the business and activist wings.
Verb
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What really bugs me about this moment, and about the battle and its aftermath, is the lack of feeling.
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When traveling, the EPA suggests inspecting any room visitors will be staying in for the presence of bed bugs.
Cite this Entry
“Galls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/galls. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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