irk

[ urk ]
/ ɜrk /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR irk ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to irritate, annoy, or exasperate: It irked him to wait in line.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?
Question 1 of 10
earnest
full seriousness, as of intention or purpose.
a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.
urgent character; imperativeness; insistence; importunateness.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of irk

1300–50; Middle English irken to grow tired, tire < Old Norse yrkja to work, cognate with Old English wyrcan; see work

Words nearby irk

irishman, irishwoman, iritic, iritis, iritomy, irk, irksome, irkutsk, irl, irm, irma
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to irk

annoy, disturb, peeve, bother, inconvenience, irritate, rile, vex, gall, provoke, ruffle, miff, bug, nettle, harass, incommode, abrade, rasp, discommode, trouble

Example sentences from the Web for irk

British Dictionary definitions for irk

irk
/ (ɜːk) /

verb

(tr) to irritate, vex, or annoy

Word Origin for irk

C13 irken to grow weary; probably related to Old Norse yrkja to work
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012