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
Relevance
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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of irk
Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025
That has irked a number of Republicans, including Trump, who believe there should be a unified slate of auto standards set by the federal government.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 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
Yet Red Sox Trade Idea Would Ship $123M All-Star to Mets After Rafael Devers Trade
Other aspects of Devers' behavior irked the Red Sox as well.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025
That has irked a number of Republicans, including Trump, who believe there should be a unified slate of auto standards set by the federal government.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 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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That acquisition annoyed shareholders and customers alike, with investors taking issue with the fact that it was structured to avoid a vote.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
25 July 2025
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Meanwhile, be patient with daily contacts, especially siblings and relatives who might annoy you.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
21 July 2025
Noun
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Read More: The 9 Most Underrated Healthy Foods Flavorings and additives Natural fruit compounds, artificial colorants, and tannins in wine can cause headaches, GI symptoms, or hives in sensitive people.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Time,
22 July 2025
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His salary: $760,000. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages have dealt the Padres numerous headaches.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 July 2025
Verb
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Things escalated further as fans began requesting photos and videos, reportedly irritating the R&B star.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
14 July 2025
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According to Valliere, people and pets should avoid coming in contact with several invasive plants in California, including: Certain grasses, which produce long awns and seeds that can irritate skin, get stuck in pets’ fur, and cause discomfort for both animals and humans.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
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Last month, Los Angeles city officials declared these properties a public nuisance because of their failure to take action to clean up debris.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
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The cicadas swarming in and around Cincinnati can be a nuisance.—
Chad Murphy,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Verb
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But one aspect of his robberies bothers him to this day.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
26 July 2025
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This means that some people might not bother using them.—
Ben Coxworth
July 26,
New Atlas,
26 July 2025
Noun
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Presidents of both parties complained about judges blocking policies nationwide Nationwide injunctions have been a thorn in the side of presidential administrations of both parties.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
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Those critics may or may not prove to be a thorn in O’Brien’s side.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
10 July 2025
Verb
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If things were in fact bugged during the Contest Mode run, a limited-time offering, that’s going to be something if a disaster to admit.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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Say your mother kept bugging you to change a bad habit.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
Noun
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Other operators have expressed similar frustration, and some members of Congress have signaled support for an overhaul.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
22 July 2025
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The rise of ghost jobs has been causing real frustration for job seekers.—
Kara Dennison,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irk. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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