vexatious

American  

[vek-sey-shuhs] / vɛkˈseɪ ʃəs /

adjective

1. causing vexation; troublesome; annoying.

   a vexatious situation.

   Synonyms:

   irksome, bothersome, irritating, provoking

   Antonyms:

   delightful

2. Law. (of legal actions) instituted without sufficient grounds and serving only to cause annoyance to the defendant.

3. full of unease or turmoil; troubled.

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vexatious British  

/ vɛkˈseɪʃəs /

adjective

1. vexing or tending to vex

2. vexed

3. law (of a legal action or proceeding) instituted without sufficient grounds, esp so as to cause annoyance or embarrassment to the defendant

   vexatious litigation

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Other Word Forms

• nonvexatious adjective
• nonvexatiously adverb
• nonvexatiousness noun
• unvexatious adjective
• unvexatiously adverb
• unvexatiousness noun
• vexatiously adverb
• vexatiousness noun

Etymology

Origin of vexatious

First recorded in 1525–35; vexati(on) + -ous