vex
Americanverb (used with object)
-
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
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!
"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
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 Tell-Tale Heart," Vocabulary from the short story
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.
A few of those sightings have continued to vex military investigators.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 22, 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
Among his more personal observations are the things that seem to vex him.
From National Geographic • Nov. 16, 2023
She was right about one thing—it did vex him.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
