irk
1 of 2verb
ˈərk 
irked; irking; irks
transitive verb
: to make weary, irritated, or bored
irk
2 of 2noun
1
: the fact of being annoying
2
: a source of annoyance
Synonyms
Verb
- aggravate
- annoy
- bother
- bug
- burn (up)
- chafe
- eat
- exasperate
- frost
- gall
- get
- grate
- gripe
- hack (off)
- irritate
- itch
- nark [British]
- nettle
- peeve
- persecute
- pique
- put out
- rasp
- rile
- ruffle
- spite
- vex
Noun
- aggravation
- aggro [British]
- annoyance
- bother
- botheration
- bugbear
- exasperation
- frustration
- hair shirt
- hassle
- headache
- inconvenience
- irritant
- nuisance
- peeve
- pest
- rub
- ruffle
- thorn
- trial
- vexation
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb Drivers were irked by the higher gasoline prices. It irks me to have to clean up after you. Noun one of the prof's major irks is a cell phone that rings during a lecture
Recent Examples on the Web
WIRED, 18 Sep. 2022 The program was reinstated, as an extracurricular activity, in 1972, but the situation continued to irk Alito. Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2022 The donations irk some Democrats, who say the money won’t make a difference in Cheney’s race and would be better spent helping Democrats in tight contests as the party struggles to hold control of Congress. Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2022 Such commendations, however, could irk those in the pro-Trump wing of the GOP -- who already may be skeptical of Pence -- at the same time that the former vice president has not downplayed future political aspirations. ABC News, 21 June 2022 Reels has proven wildly unpopular and even managed to irk a Kardashian or two. Wired, 1 Aug. 2022 Over the past year, producers behind some of the hottest US blockbusters have kept in scenes that could irk China's censors, apparently less concerned about the potential loss of access to theaters across the country of 1.4 billion people. Michelle Toh, CNN, 8 July 2022 The proposal under consideration would waive debt of $10,000 per borrower, an amount that is certain to irk progressives for not going far enough and opponents for potentially exacerbating inflation. Courtney Subramanianstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2022 But the approach the IWA—which has not returned our request for comment—has taken seems to really irk him. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 June 2022 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 From that slight irk, a fuse is now irrevocably lit. Hank Stuever, Washington Post, 13 June 2019 But under the direction of Susannah Martin, those devices more irk than stoke fear. Lily Janiak, SFChronicle.com, 25 June 2018 See More
Verb
Caped Crusaders, and the villains who irk them, fill screens every year. WIRED, 18 Sep. 2022 The program was reinstated, as an extracurricular activity, in 1972, but the situation continued to irk Alito. Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2022 The donations irk some Democrats, who say the money won’t make a difference in Cheney’s race and would be better spent helping Democrats in tight contests as the party struggles to hold control of Congress. Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2022 Such commendations, however, could irk those in the pro-Trump wing of the GOP -- who already may be skeptical of Pence -- at the same time that the former vice president has not downplayed future political aspirations. ABC News, 21 June 2022 Reels has proven wildly unpopular and even managed to irk a Kardashian or two. Wired, 1 Aug. 2022 Over the past year, producers behind some of the hottest US blockbusters have kept in scenes that could irk China's censors, apparently less concerned about the potential loss of access to theaters across the country of 1.4 billion people. Michelle Toh, CNN, 8 July 2022 The proposal under consideration would waive debt of $10,000 per borrower, an amount that is certain to irk progressives for not going far enough and opponents for potentially exacerbating inflation. Courtney Subramanianstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2022 But the approach the IWA—which has not returned our request for comment—has taken seems to really irk him. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 June 2022 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 From that slight irk, a fuse is now irrevocably lit. Hank Stuever, Washington Post, 13 June 2019 But under the direction of Susannah Martin, those devices more irk than stoke fear. Lily Janiak, SFChronicle.com, 25 June 2018 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English
First Known Use
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Noun
circa 1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
irk
verb
ˈərk
irked; irking
: annoy
That noise irks me.
irk 1 of 2
verb
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
- annoy
- irritate
- bother
- bug
- persecute
- aggravate
- infuriate
- exasperate
- get
- rile
- vex
- worry
- spite
- peeve
- anger
- chafe
- grate
- pique
- itch
- gripe
- eat
- nark
- provoke
- plague
- tease
- insult
- ruffle
- get to
- gall
- wear on
- put out
- frost
- nag
- enrage
- offend
- upset
- rub the wrong way
- nettle
- rasp
- harass
- burn (up)
- rouse
- heckle
- get on one's nerves
- hack (off)
- unsettle
- hassle
- rankle
- stick in one's craw
- antagonize
- outrage
- pester
- inflame
- get one's goat
- agitate
- harry
- set one's teeth on edge
- miff
- perturb
- badger
- devil
- discomfort
- roil
- disquiet
- affront
- distress
- bait
- madden
- unhinge
- fret
- enflame
- incense
- exercise
- undo
- discompose
- bullyrag
- hagride
- ballyrag
- freak (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- appease
- placate
- oblige
- pacify
- please
- delight
- conciliate
- satisfy
- mollify
- gratify
- assure
- reassure
- propitiate
- soothe
- cheer
- gladden
- comfort
- content
- quiet
- console
- solace
irk
2 of 2noun
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
- headache
- worry
- nuisance
- thorn
- frustration
- annoyance
- irritant
- inconvenience
- problem
- bother
- rub
- peeve
- exasperation
- bugbear
- insult
- aggravation
- vexation
- upset
- ruffle
- discomfort
- affront
- menace
- pest
- hassle
- botheration
- curse
- trouble
- trial
- anxiety
- burden
- plague
- aggro
- predicament
- hair shirt
- sore
- annoyer
- plight
- cross
- disturber
- pinprick
- offence
- offender
- pet peeve
- albatross
- tribulation
- fleabite
- mischief
- offense
- millstone
- harasser
- hang-up
- affliction
- pandora's box
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- pleasure
- joy
- delight
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of irk are annoy, bother, and vex. While all these words mean "to upset a person's composure," irk stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit.
careless waste irks the boss
While the synonyms annoy and irk are close in meaning, annoy implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness.
their constant complaining annoys us
The meanings of bother and irk largely overlap; however, bother suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind.
don't bother me while I'm reading
The synonyms vex and irk are sometimes interchangeable, but vex implies greater provocation and stronger disturbance and usually connotes anger but sometimes perplexity or anxiety.
vexed by her son's failure to clean his room