irksome
Americanadjective
-
annoying; irritating; exasperating; tiresome.
irksome restrictions.
-
Obsolete. causing weariness or disgust.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of irksome
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at irk, -some 1
Explanation
If your little brother keeps saying the same phrase over and over again, you might find it irksome — that is, annoying in a tiresome way. If you are a person who likes to know exactly where words come from, you might find it irksome that the etymology of irksome's 15th century ancestor irken is unknown. If you complain about this to all of your friends, they might start to find you irksome also.
Vocabulary lists containing irksome
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Grade 9, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Taming of the Shrew
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 lazy packaging is all the more irksome considering our car was a rear-drive variant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 2026
It’s sure to be another captivating, completely irksome and bleak look into animal welfare exploitation that will, hopefully, prompt action.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026
"The rise of AI has raised concerns about low-quality content — also known as AI slop," YouTube chief executive Neal Mohan said of the irksome phenomenon.
From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026
Swallowing up the sand, blocking ocean views and turning the shore into an irksome maze, is a sea of large beach tents, called cabanas in Australia.
From BBC ● Jan. 8, 2025
Most people hike from south to north with spring, ideally keeping one step ahead of the worst of the hot weather and the more irksome and infectious of insects.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
