vex
Americanverb (used with object)
-
vexes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
vexed,
past participle, past
-
vexing
present participle
-
His noisy neighbors often vexed him.
- Antonyms:
- delight
-
to torment; trouble; distress; plague; worry.
Lack of money vexes many.
Her arthritis vexed her all night.
-
to confuse or bewilder; confound.
The formula vexes most of our students at first.
-
to discuss or debate (a subject, question, etc.) with vigor or at great length.
They vexed the question endlessly without agreeing.
-
to disturb by motion; stir up; toss about.
verb
-
to anger or annoy
-
to confuse; worry
-
archaic to agitate
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
vexsimple
-
vexessimple
-
have vexedperfect
-
has vexedperfect
-
am vexingprogressive
-
are vexingprogressive
-
is vexingprogressive
-
have been vexingperfect progressive
-
has been vexingperfect progressive
Past
-
vexedsimple
-
had vexedperfect
-
was vexingprogressive
-
were vexingprogressive
-
had been vexingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of vex
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English vexen, from Old French vexer, from Latin vexāre “to shake, jolt, harass, annoy,” frequentative of vehere “to carry, convey”
Explanation
If something vexes you, it brings you trouble or difficulty. In other words, it annoys, worries, distresses, irritates, bothers, or puzzles you. Vex can be used as an adjective: for example, a vexing issue is not easily solved. The verb vex, the corresponding adjective vexatious, and the noun vexation are all slightly old-fashioned though still in current use. Vex descends through Middle English from Latin vexare, "to shake, attack, trouble."
Vocabulary lists containing vex
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
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"The Tell-Tale Heart," Vocabulary from the short story
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The contrasting standards vex those worried for the future of public education.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
The brevity—and breakneck speed—of many of the new trade deals with the U.S. have left ambiguities that vex swift approvals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026
But it doesn’t actually seem to vex your generation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2024
These poor circumstances vex artists, despite optimism by curators and others who say more and more Ugandans are starting to appreciate art as an attractive investment option.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 15, 2023
“You vex with us for making you send the creature away? It’s a lot to deal with, what happened. You want to talk about it?”
From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi
That question vexes former Royal Netherlands Air Force Apache attack helicopter pilot Roy Lindelauf, who is now a professor of data science in the department of intelligent systems of Tilburg University.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
It is this uncertainty that vexes political pundits and campaign strategists alike.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2024
Math still vexes the talkative fourth grader with glasses and cornrows.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 16, 2022
Regarding the Dec. 4 Metro article “Metro’s focus on evasion vexes kids”:
From Washington Post ● Dec. 8, 2022
“La, no Miss, but he’s had a scene with Mr. Laurie, who is in one of his tantrums about something, which vexes the old gentleman, so I dursn’t go nigh him.”
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
But at the time, a teenage Adrian, hoping to break into the more commercial side of the film business, was vexed by his father’s reluctance to pursue Hollywood money-makers.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
But this move suggests that the producers’ club will only find it harder to navigate the cross-currents of war, economic uncertainty, sanctions, and non-OPEC supply growth that have vexed market management.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
A similar query arises when the author comes to the vexed question of how, and if, a diarist’s confidential work should be preserved.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 6, 2026
In his statement, he said the post had followed Mr Lammy's visit to the Caribbean when he was foreign secretary and was about the "vexed issue" of reparations for former colonial nations affected by slavery.
From BBC ● Jan. 8, 2026
I was too hungry and vexed to read, although the first one, Great Expectations, looked promising.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
I have some exciting editions planned, but I also want to hear from you: What money matters are vexing you?
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
And this week, he spoke about another issue vexing him: men’s sperm count.
From Salon ● May 15, 2026
For investors, this raises a vexing valuation issue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026
Imagine how vexing this has been for Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, whose gutty season yet again ended with a frustrating fizzle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2026
I have always found this criticism to be vexing and based on both ignorance of ANC history and maliciousness.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
