vex
Americanverb (used with object)
-
vexes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
vexed,
past participle, past
-
vexing
present participle
-
His noisy neighbors often vexed him.
- Antonyms:
- delight
-
to torment; trouble; distress; plague; worry.
Lack of money vexes many.
Her arthritis vexed her all night.
-
to confuse or bewilder; confound.
The formula vexes most of our students at first.
-
to discuss or debate (a subject, question, etc.) with vigor or at great length.
They vexed the question endlessly without agreeing.
-
to disturb by motion; stir up; toss about.
verb
-
to anger or annoy
-
to confuse; worry
-
archaic to agitate
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
vexsimple
-
vexessimple
-
have vexedperfect
-
has vexedperfect
-
am vexingprogressive
-
are vexingprogressive
-
is vexingprogressive
-
have been vexingperfect progressive
-
has been vexingperfect progressive
Past
-
vexedsimple
-
had vexedperfect
-
was vexingprogressive
-
were vexingprogressive
-
had been vexingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of vex
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English vexen, from Old French vexer, from Latin vexāre “to shake, jolt, harass, annoy,” frequentative of vehere “to carry, convey”
Explanation
If something vexes you, it brings you trouble or difficulty. In other words, it annoys, worries, distresses, irritates, bothers, or puzzles you. Vex can be used as an adjective: for example, a vexing issue is not easily solved. The verb vex, the corresponding adjective vexatious, and the noun vexation are all slightly old-fashioned though still in current use. Vex descends through Middle English from Latin vexare, "to shake, attack, trouble."
Vocabulary lists containing vex
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
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"The Tell-Tale Heart," Vocabulary from the short story
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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.
See Examples For:
The contrasting standards vex those worried for the future of public education.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
The brevity—and breakneck speed—of many of the new trade deals with the U.S. have left ambiguities that vex swift approvals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026
But it doesn’t actually seem to vex your generation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2024
These poor circumstances vex artists, despite optimism by curators and others who say more and more Ugandans are starting to appreciate art as an attractive investment option.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 15, 2023
"At the moment, Lord Tywin looms eternal as easterly Rock, so I doubt that Jaime will be succeeding anytime soon. Don't vex me about this, Ned, the stone has been set."
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
That question vexes former Royal Netherlands Air Force Apache attack helicopter pilot Roy Lindelauf, who is now a professor of data science in the department of intelligent systems of Tilburg University.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
It is this uncertainty that vexes political pundits and campaign strategists alike.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2024
Regarding the Dec. 4 Metro article “Metro’s focus on evasion vexes kids”:
From Washington Post ● Dec. 8, 2022
He even puts up a poster decreeing “No eating people” in his apartment, which vexes Venom mightily.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 30, 2021
But for some reason the lesson vexes me.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
But at the time, a teenage Adrian, hoping to break into the more commercial side of the film business, was vexed by his father’s reluctance to pursue Hollywood money-makers.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
The billionaire built the sprawling facility to address an issue that has long vexed Nigeria—the West African nation is a major oil producer but exports almost all its crude to be refined abroad.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Though timing these cycles has vexed many investors, there was a fairly familiar pattern of sales growing quickly, then shrinking.
From Barron's ● Mar. 18, 2026
Graffiti, trash, trespassing and safety issues at the sprawling mall vexed local officials for so many years that they secured an injunction forcing the property owners to redevelop it or demolish it by August.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2026
While the regent seemed satisfied with me, he was vexed with Justice, who he said must return to Mqhekezweni.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
I have some exciting editions planned, but I also want to hear from you: What money matters are vexing you?
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
The most vexing question for stock investors is whether good news on hiring would be seen as good or bad.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
And this week, he spoke about another issue vexing him: men’s sperm count.
From Salon ● May 15, 2026
The resolution stretches across four single-spaced pages of the Tuesday meeting agenda — a complex, detailed approach to a vexing issue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026
Like “Eureka” or “By Jove, I’ve got it,” “voilà” is sometimes exclaimed by people who have figured out the answer to some sort of problem or riddle that has been vexing them to no end.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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.
