irksome
Americanadjective
-
annoying; irritating; exasperating; tiresome.
irksome restrictions.
-
Obsolete. causing weariness or disgust.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of irksome
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at irk, -some 1
Explanation
If your little brother keeps saying the same phrase over and over again, you might find it irksome — that is, annoying in a tiresome way. If you are a person who likes to know exactly where words come from, you might find it irksome that the etymology of irksome's 15th century ancestor irken is unknown. If you complain about this to all of your friends, they might start to find you irksome also.
Vocabulary lists containing irksome
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Grade 9, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Taming of the Shrew
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Irksome as it is to create and remember different usernames and passwords for different sites, it allows for forms of privacy and anonymity that more streamlined solutions can’t.
From Slate • Aug. 8, 2014
Still, it does score an immediate new entry in the Top 10 Most Irksome World Cup Products, which you may care to know runs as follows: 9.
From The Guardian • Jun. 2, 2010
Irksome though such checks and restrictions may be, Cronkite shows no signs of restiveness.
From Time Magazine Archive
They call him "Irksome Dirksen." "the Wizard of Ooze," "the Liberace of the Senate," and "Oleaginous Ev."
From Time Magazine Archive
Irksome were the lazy summer months for Jane.
From Jane Cable by McCutcheon, George Barr
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.
