vex
to annoy or anger someone
TRANSLATION
ärgern
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
F. E. Smith VEXED many patrons of London's exclusive Athenaeum Club (of which he was not a member) by habitually popping in to use their toilet facilities on his way to the House of Lords.
One day a porter rather pointedly remarked that the club was in fact for members only. "Oh," Smith smartly replied, "is it a club as well?"
Smith, Frederick Edwin, First Earl of Birkenhead (1872-1930) British barrister and Conservative politician, attorney general (1915-1919), lord chancellor (1919-30)
One day a porter rather pointedly remarked that the club was in fact for members only. "Oh," Smith smartly replied, "is it a club as well?"
Smith, Frederick Edwin, First Earl of Birkenhead (1872-1930) British barrister and Conservative politician, attorney general (1915-1919), lord chancellor (1919-30)
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vex
Here are 9 common synonyms and how to use them:
annoy, irritate, bother, irk, vex, provoke, aggravate, peeve, rile
These verbs mean to disturb or trouble a person, evoking moderate anger.
ANNOY refers to mild disturbance caused by an act that tries one's patience: The sound of the printer annoyed me.
IRRITATE is somewhat stronger: I was irritated by their constant interruptions.
BOTHER implies imposition: In the end, his complaining just bothered the supervisor.
IRK connotes a wearisome quality: The city council's inactivity irked the community.
VEX applies to an act capable of arousing anger or perplexity: Hecklers in the crowd vexed the speaker.
PROVOKE implies strong and often deliberate incitement to anger: His behavior provoked me to reprimand the whole team.
AGGRAVATE is a less formal equivalent: "Threats only served to aggravate people in such cases"
PEEVE, also somewhat informal, suggests a querulous, resentful response to a mild disturbance: Your flippant answers peeved me.
To RILE is to upset and to stir up: It riled me to have to listen to such lies.
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Here are 9 common synonyms and how to use them:
annoy, irritate, bother, irk, vex, provoke, aggravate, peeve, rile
These verbs mean to disturb or trouble a person, evoking moderate anger.
ANNOY refers to mild disturbance caused by an act that tries one's patience: The sound of the printer annoyed me.
IRRITATE is somewhat stronger: I was irritated by their constant interruptions.
BOTHER implies imposition: In the end, his complaining just bothered the supervisor.
IRK connotes a wearisome quality: The city council's inactivity irked the community.
VEX applies to an act capable of arousing anger or perplexity: Hecklers in the crowd vexed the speaker.
PROVOKE implies strong and often deliberate incitement to anger: His behavior provoked me to reprimand the whole team.
AGGRAVATE is a less formal equivalent: "Threats only served to aggravate people in such cases"
PEEVE, also somewhat informal, suggests a querulous, resentful response to a mild disturbance: Your flippant answers peeved me.
To RILE is to upset and to stir up: It riled me to have to listen to such lies.
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
