vexing

[vek-sing]

adjective

1. irritating, provoking, or annoying.

   Automatic file recovery reintroduced errors already corrected at the proofing stage—which was very vexing.

2. tormenting, troubling, or distressing.

   She came to see racism as her country's most vexing problem.

Other Word Forms

• vexingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of vexing¹

vex ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

“The best way to solve the vexing problems of poverty, racism, and disinvestment is not by providing market-based microsolutions,” she pointed out.

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For Chung, the struggle to get in Washington’s good graces is personally vexing as Korea tries to finalize a trade deal that would ease the pain of U.S. tariffs.

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But in these vexing and highly contentious times it surely is.

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CANTON, Ohio — Trey Lance welcomes any opportunity that comes his way — a vexing four NFL seasons have only made him more eager — so Thursday night felt especially good.

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A spokesperson for the governor stressed that the creation of a new housing agency is part of a broader effort by Newsom to prioritize one of California’s most vexing issues.

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Related Words

• alarming 
• annoying 
• bothersome 
• creepy 
• depressing 
• disconcerting 
• discouraging www.thesaurus.com
• distressing www.thesaurus.com
• embarrassing www.thesaurus.com
• frightening www.thesaurus.com
• irritating 
• ominous 
• painful 
• perplexing 
• sinister 
• startling 
• threatening 
• troublesome 
• troubling www.thesaurus.com
• unpleasant