vexatious

[vek-sey-shuhs]

See more synonyms for vexatious on Thesaurus.com

adjective

causing vexation; troublesome; annoying: a vexatious situation.
Law. (of legal actions) instituted without sufficient grounds and serving only to cause annoyance to the defendant.
disorderly; confused; troubled.

Origin of vexatious

First recorded in 1525–35; vexati(on) + -ous

Related formsvex·a·tious·ly, adverbvex·a·tious·ness, nounnon·vex·a·tious, adjectivenon·vex·a·tious·ly, adverbnon·vex·a·tious·ness, nounun·vex·a·tious, adjectiveun·vex·a·tious·ly, adverbun·vex·a·tious·ness, noun

Synonyms for vexatious

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1. disturbing, provoking, irritating.

Antonyms for vexatious

1. delightful.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for vexatious

annoying, burdensome, disagreeable, disappointing, disturbing, irksome, irritating, mean, pesky, provoking, teasing, troublesome, trying, ugly, unpleasant, wicked, worrisome, worrying, nagging, tormenting

Examples from the Web for vexatious

Contemporary Examples of vexatious

In vexatious Latin America, they knew that a blue chip ego was an asset.
The Rise And Fall Of Brazilian Billionaire Eike Batista
Mac Margolis
November 9, 2013

Historical Examples of vexatious

At last the vexatious work was finished, and he was free again.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
I was still wrestling with this vexatious question when I came to my mother's house.
In the Valley
Harold Frederic
It is too long to write—and too vexatious” (this word was half erased), “troublesome.
The First Violin
Jessie Fothergill
It's vexatious, when one has the wherewithal to pay for wetting his whistle!
The Downfall
Emile Zola
To Wellington this was perhaps the most vexatious of all things in that vexatious time.
The Snare
Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for vexatious

vexatious

adjective

vexing or tending to vex
vexed
law (of a legal action or proceeding) instituted without sufficient grounds, esp so as to cause annoyance or embarrassment to the defendantvexatious litigation

Derived Formsvexatiously, adverbvexatiousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for vexatious

adj.

1530s; see vexation + -ous. Related: Vexatiously; vexatiousness.