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Synonyms

irk

American  
[urk] / ɜrk /

verb (used with object)

  1. to irritate, annoy, or exasperate.

    It irked him to wait in line.
    Synonyms:
    tire, bother, fret, chafe
irk British  
/ ɜːk /

verb

  1. (tr) to irritate, vex, or annoy

"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

Etymology

Origin of irk

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

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.

These interventions can irk the grassroots, and there will be some carping over the Daines move.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

Mr Peirson is concerned that the nature of the Ministry of Defence building deal may irk businesses which have already committed to Serbia.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2025

But the deferred contracts are what might irk the haters the most.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2025

As the days wore on, stray comments started to irk him.

From Salon • Jan. 7, 2025

Sahil shifted beside me, probably not used to being so close to Hannah’s irk.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon

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.