as in frustrating
causing annoyance
the constantly changing schedule was somewhat vexing, but I coped
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in annoying
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
my coworkers' loud, endless conversations vexed me
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in puzzling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
a mystery novel that is sure to vex even the canniest readers
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vexing
Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
This is especially vexing given that January 2025 saw apparel imports from Asia reach a record high, accounting for 77 percent of America’s total apparel sourcing, according to Lu.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 3 Apr. 2025
The 2014 disappearance remains one of the most vexing mysteries in aviation.
—Greg Norman, Fox News, 20 Mar. 2025
Saturday’s vexing conditions didn’t help the matter.
—Brody Miller, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vexing
Adjective
This plan, officially called the Repayment Assistance Plan, aims to make student loan payments more manageable for future borrowers while solving a vexing problem: balances that grow instead of shrink.
—Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
This is especially vexing given that January 2025 saw apparel imports from Asia reach a record high, accounting for 77 percent of America’s total apparel sourcing, according to Lu.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 3 Apr. 2025
The 2014 disappearance remains one of the most vexing mysteries in aviation.
—Greg Norman, Fox News, 20 Mar. 2025
Saturday’s vexing conditions didn’t help the matter.
—Brody Miller, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vexing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vexing
Adjective
-
The New York Mets scored three runs in the seventh to snap a 1-1 tie en route to a 5-1 win over the Red Sox on a frustrating night.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
-
Both English teams have been experiencing frustrating, parallel worlds as the pair have struggled mightily in the Premier League.—
David Close,
CNN Money,
22 May 2025
Verb
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Researchers are particularly focused on unraveling the puzzling interplay between gas content, magma pressure and lava flow dynamics.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
3 Jan. 2025
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Almost two years into his ordeal, Gould learned of an initiative at the National Institutes of Health that focuses on solving the country’s most puzzling medical cases.—
Jason Liebowitz,
The Atlantic,
2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But if Hereditary and Midsommar got under the skin with genuinely scary storytelling and startling imagery and Beau is Afraid was equal parts squirmy and maddening, Eddington is just annoying and empty.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2025
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Really, there’s these human traffic jams, so it’s become quite annoying.—
Ari Daniel,
Smithsonian Magazine,
15 May 2025
Verb
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When handled, these treefrogs secrete a sticky toxin as a defense, which can be irritating to mucous membranes of people or pets who make contact with them.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
8 Apr. 2025
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All three ingredients offer significant benefits for skin brightening and skin texture, but also tend to be irritating to people with sensitive skin.—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Nothing has officially happened yet, but the tension is disturbing with the consequences potentially devastating.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 May 2025
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That’s a quite disturbing possibility since AGI could wield such an act on a scale of immense magnitude and with globally adverse consequences.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Jan. 2025
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The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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According to Yau, those with acne-prone skin should reach for a stainless steel gua sha—unlike natural stone, stainless steel is non-porous and anti-bacterial, preventing unwanted breakouts and aggravating easily congested skin.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
13 Mar. 2025
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Following his final round, the two-time major champion detailed surviving the weekend without aggravating his rib injury.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
9 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vexing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vexing. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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