1 vex | Definition of vex

vex

verb
\ ˈveks How to pronounce vex (audio) \
vexed also vext\ ˈvekst How to pronounce vext (audio) \; vexing

Definition of vex

transitive verb

1a : to bring trouble, distress, or agitation to the restaurant is vexed by slow service
b : to bring physical distress to a headache vexed him all morning
c : to irritate or annoy by petty provocations : harass vexed by the children
d : puzzle, baffle a problem to vex the keenest wit
2 : to shake or toss about

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Choose the Right Synonym for vex

annoy, vex, irk, bother mean to upset a person's composure. annoy implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness. their constant complaining annoys us 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 irk stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit. careless waste irks the boss bother suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind. don't bother me while I'm reading

Examples of vex in a Sentence

This problem has vexed researchers for years. We were vexed by the delay.

Recent Examples on the Web

Problems at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services have vexed governors for decades. Lisa Donovan, chicagotribune.com, "The Spin: More trouble at DCFS | An Illinois senator is indicted | Pro-pot lawmakers see green," 2 Aug. 2019 Intractable epilepsy is particularly vexing for researchers and families. Isabel Derera, The Conversation, "CBD and genetic testing provide hope for ‘intractable’ epilepsy in children," 25 July 2019 The representation of people is particularly vexed; after years of receiving complaints about the uniform yellow skin tone, Unicode added five skin-tone variants, in 2015. Sophie Haigney, The New Yorker, "Should There Be an Emoji for Everything?," 22 July 2019 Lawmakers have been vexed for decades over how to fix a broken system. Tom Benning, Dallas News, "Texans Cornyn, Cuellar can't get congressional colleagues to back their bipartisan immigration plan," 20 June 2019 Iowa and New Hampshire voters are reportedly vexed with California Sen. Kamala Harris, who hasn’t spent much time in their states since announcing her presidential candidacy. David Avella, WSJ, "Harris Snubs Iowa and New Hampshire," 7 Apr. 2019 The conflicting measurements have vexed astrophysicists and inspired rampant speculation as to whether unknown physical processes might be causing the discrepancy. Quanta Magazine, "A Radically Conservative Solution for Cosmology’s Biggest Mystery," 1 May 2018 Short-term rentals As for short-term rentals, the issue is one that has vexed local officials since the trend emerged several years ago. Jeff Forward, Houston Chronicle, "Covenant changes focus of Wednesday public forum in Woodlands," 19 July 2019 That California trails far behind the rest of the country has long vexed state officials. Jackie Botts, The Mercury News, "California’s struggle to get food stamps to the hungry," 19 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vex.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of vex

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for vex

Middle English, from Anglo-French vexer, from Latin vexare to agitate, harry; probably akin to Latin vehere to convey — more at way

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More Definitions for vex

vex

verb

English Language Learners Definition of vex

old-fashioned : to annoy or worry (someone)

vex

verb
\ ˈveks How to pronounce vex (audio) \
vexed; vexing

Kids Definition of vex

1 : to bring trouble, distress, or worry to “It is an excellent plan to have some place where we can go to be quiet, when things vex or grieve us.”— Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
2 : to annoy by small irritations Flies vexed the cows.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vex

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with vex

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for vex

Spanish Central: Translation of vex

Nglish: Translation of vex for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of vex for Arabic Speakers