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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of irk
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 9 Feb. 2025
Both coaches successfully utilized challenges in the first half, irked by a tightly and often incorrectly officiated contest.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 29 Jan. 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
Ahead of that, a special event held in Episode 5 (out Feb. 14) will present an opportunity for more theremin playing, though Miss Huang will be irked to be snubbed again.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 9 Feb. 2025
Both coaches successfully utilized challenges in the first half, irked by a tightly and often incorrectly officiated contest.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 29 Jan. 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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Waltz now has a bunch of top officials, and their teams, who are annoyed at him for drawing bad publicity.—
Marc Caputo,
Axios,
25 Mar. 2025
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However, standing in the middle of a road to capture the Eiffel Tower in the background is not only unsafe but can also annoy locals.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Early signs of the disease include fatigue, fever and muscle aches, while half of all HPS patients also go through headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal pain.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
5 Apr. 2025
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the most common issues are headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion.—
Dr. Mishal Reja,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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If not properly diluted, vinegar's acidity can irritate your throat or erode tooth enamel over time.—
Johna Burdeos,
Health,
7 Apr. 2025
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The second walk irritated the pitcher, as home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman’s ball four call on a 3-2 count appeared incorrect.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Several hundred additional complaints by public school districts across the US claim the platforms have created a public nuisance that’s undermining the educational system.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2025
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At first, the un-washable Fisk murals are a nuisance to the new mayor, but there are ways to take advantage of the situation.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Because Congress never bothered to write a law to establish it.—
Jay Cost,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2025
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Chicago Bears - Will Campbell, OL, LSU Will Campbell has fallen a bit due to his shorter arm length, but that likely won't bother Ben Johnson.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The human invaders as usual are a major threat to Pandora in an existential sense, plus former military guy/Na'vi villain Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) is a constant thorn in their sides.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
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Judges' grants of nationwide relief have been a thorn in the administration's side since Trump took office in January.—
Christina Gatti,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Ema then asks the question that’s been bugging her—why hasn’t Leo’s body been found?—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Ferrell bugs his eyes out and sighs a series of increasingly desperate spit-takes, but this project was probably doomed from the get-go.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Jeff: When meeting with reporters on Wednesday, Chastain indicated he was mystified and offended by Logano’s post-race comments expressing frustration with the Trackhouse Racing driver.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
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Several owners of food and drink establishments have spoken with The Star in recent months to share their frustrations about property crimes affecting businesses across Kansas City.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irk. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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