irk
verb (used with object)
to irritate, annoy, or exasperate.
irks
-
present tense formof irk (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
Inflation measures how much prices have risen over a year, but what irks many people is how much higher prices are than they were before the pandemic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Mark Joseph Stern: This is what irks me the most about Roberts’ opinion in Slaughter.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
“There wasn’t a 3 at the start of my batting average last year, and that irks me,” Freeman said last week.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026
And her not seeming to understand how rude she was behaving really irks me.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 28, 2025
"I should not mind it, for it is a long, long chain; but the knowledge of it irks me, and I miss my father's land. And the witch-woman is not the best of mistresses...."
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
