vex
verb (used with object)
had vexed
-
past perfectof vex.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
The wicked Navier-Stokes problem had vexed mathematicians for nearly a century.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
That’s when surgeons infused a drug into her spine to fix the ultrarare genetic glitch that had vexed her nervous system since infancy.
From New York Times ● Dec. 19, 2022
It wasn’t just the 3-pointers that had vexed the Wolves this season.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 26, 2022
The actor and comedian is interviewed in the series about his late spouse’s struggles to balance her home life and her drive to unravel a mystery that had vexed law enforcement for decades.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2020
On returning, now charged to find that woman’s daughter, he knew why the previous assignment had vexed him so.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
