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
Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
That’s just the type of move that would irk Knicks fans.
—Jason Jones, New York Times, 20 May 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
Fans were also irked by something else: his loud chewing.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
That’s just the type of move that would irk Knicks fans.
—Jason Jones, New York Times, 20 May 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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The comedy as a second-class sibling to the drama is a notion that has annoyed the people who make television comedies for years.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
7 June 2025
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In some cases, that will be obvious: You’ll get annoyed by weird or loud noises and odors, notice your energy bill has skyrocketed, or spot signs of a leak.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
3 June 2025
Noun
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This is just the wrong place for trash fees to be charged and is pretty much guaranteed to create massive headaches for homeowners.—
Inga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 June 2025
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Bringing a pet to the vet's office for an appointment can often cause owners headaches, but one woman's chaotic experience left the internet in stitches.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
Verb
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Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who Trump initially tapped to co-lead DOGE, pushed for an expansion of the program as way to attract global talent, irritating immigration hawks in the conservative movement.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
-
Use Insect Repellent to Avoid Bug Bites Stinging, biting, and otherwise irritating bugs are prevalent in summer.—
Sarah Richards,
Verywell Health,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
The velocity of misinformation isn’t just a nuisance.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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Eating flaxseed might even ease menopausal symptoms, which—among its many other nuisances—can often include GI issues.—
Christina Pérez,
Vogue,
29 May 2025
Verb
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In prior birthday events, perhaps a couple arrived early and had a cocktail, but never the rest of the party together, so this hadn’t bothered me before.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
6 June 2025
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This is an arrangement that bothers Kagi's founder.—
Ryan Whitwam,
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2025
Noun
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The early part of the season indicated Arizona would indeed be a thorn in the side of the Dodgers and one of the best teams in the NL.—
Andrew Wright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
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But one Democratic strategist said Emanuel’s record — particularly as mayor of Chicago — could be a thorn in his side.—
Amie Parnes,
The Hill,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Say your mother kept bugging you to change a bad habit.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
-
Next season is when all the little things start to bug me.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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His populist messaging and anti-establishment persona align with many voters’ frustrations with Washington, the Federal Reserve, and legacy media.—
Becca Bratcher,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
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As the pressure from the field grew, Burns showed signs of frustration.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
15 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irk. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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