irk
verb (used with object)
to irritate, annoy, or exasperate.
irking
-
present participleof irk.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Zuckerberg spent more than $110 million buying up at least 11 homes in the affluent neighborhood of Crescent Park in Palo Alto, irking some of his neighbors, the New York Times reported.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
Moffett said that, in the old days, television channels didn’t have to worry about irking customers with rising costs, because that relationship was handled by a middleman — the cable companies.
From MarketWatch ● May 28, 2026
The head of German auto industry group VDA decried the EU parliament's decision, saying it sent a "devastating sign" and risked irking Mercosur countries.
From Barron's ● Jan. 21, 2026
The company had also stopped communicating with Jefferies’ investment bankers, irking people within the firm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2025
Not two hours altogether of such intercourse had been his, but it had been enough to infuse all his consciousness with a vague but irking discontent.
From The Destroying Angel by Louis Joseph Vance
