as in annoyed
subjected to and reacting with irritation
my dog was clearly vexed with me for having been gone all week, and hardly greeted me when I came home
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also vext
1
as in bothered
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
my coworkers' loud, endless conversations vexed me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puzzled
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
a mystery novel that is sure to vex even the canniest readers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of vexed
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
From his perspective, whatever happened was easily resolved — but working on a megahit can make matters more vexed.
—
Daniel D'addario,
Variety,
10 June 2026
CBS News,
14 June 2026
His wealth explosion has inspired his devotees, exhilarated his investors, vexed the skeptical and enraged those calling for higher taxes on the ultra-rich.
—
Chase Peterson-Withorn,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for vexed
Adjective
How to do that was a very vexed and complicated problem.
—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
From his perspective, whatever happened was easily resolved — but working on a megahit can make matters more vexed.
—
Daniel D'addario,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Verb
He has also grown increasingly vexed by the war between Israel and Iran, which has driven up gas prices, rattled financial markets and stoked concerns about inflation.
—
CBS News,
14 June 2026
His wealth explosion has inspired his devotees, exhilarated his investors, vexed the skeptical and enraged those calling for higher taxes on the ultra-rich.
—
Chase Peterson-Withorn,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for vexed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vexed
Adjective
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Hardin is more amused than annoyed, particularly given the origin of the FTD Burger.
-
Still, Pochettino’s tone indicated he was still annoyed to have lost.
Verb
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Maybe Bill Plaschke would be aware of that, and give due credit, if his hometown major newspaper bothered to have a dedicated correspondent covering one of the city’s NBA teams.
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For all the breathless coverage devoted to celebrity engagements, weddings, and whirlwind divorces, some of Hollywood’s most enduring love stories involve couples who never bothered with the paperwork.
Verb
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Pochettino seemed puzzled by the downcast tone of his post-match press conference.
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Astronomers are puzzled that such a glaring inconsistency could have gone unnoticed in existing data, such as the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), which provides our earliest snapshot of the universe.
Adjective
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There was a point in Patrick Paul’s ascension last season where his smirk, his hearty chuckles irritated, if not frustrated his opponents to the point of anger.
-
On Friday, a cloud of irritated bees swarmed the linden’s trunk about 20 feet up, where wind from strong storms the night before had snapped it.
Verb
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When Riley returned to the table, La La told me that his high profile in the city sometimes bugged her, because fans were always interrupting them, even sitting down at their table.
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Upon arriving at big-league camp this spring, Rojas said the different grip initially bugged him.
Verb
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Pz’ spends much of his proper debut, No Turning Back, equally baffled by his good fortune and ready to fasten it to his side with a Gucci strap before anyone else can take it.
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His focus on the voting bill, instead of signing one that tackles a top issue for voters, has left some GOP strategists baffled.
Adjective
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For a variety of reasons that weren’t immediately entirely clear, there was a comprehensive and fundamental breakdown in access to the stadium that left many exasperated or furious.
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Such a reader would be even more exasperated by The End of Everything, which turns the dial up several notches.
Verb
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The Washington Principles also recognize that many sales of artwork by Jews during the Nazi era occurred while they were being persecuted, or under duress.
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Representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine have been persecuted.
Cite this Entry
“Vexed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vexed. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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