Irksome: meaning, definitions and examples

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irksome

 

[ ˈɜːrksəm ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

feeling or causing annoyance

Causing annoyance or irritation; troublesome or irritating.

Synonyms

annoying, bothersome, irritating, troublesome, vexing.

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Word Description / Examples
irksome

Often used in more formal writing or speech to describe something that is particularly tedious or irritating over time.

  • Filling out these endless forms is irksome.
  • It is irksome to wait in long lines at the store.
annoying

This word is commonly used in everyday situations when someone or something causes a slight but constant disturbance or discomfort.

  • That buzzing sound is really annoying.
  • My little brother can be so annoying when he keeps asking the same question.
bothersome

Typically used in more formal or neutral contexts to describe something that is causing inconvenience or mild disturbance.

  • The construction noise next door is quite bothersome.
  • It's bothersome to keep getting spam emails.
troublesome

Used when something presents a significant problem or difficulty, often requiring effort to deal with.

  • The troublesome leak in the roof needs immediate attention.
  • He found the new software update to be troublesome.
irritating

This word is used when something causes emotional irritation, often emphasizing a slight increase in frustration compared to 'annoying.'

  • The constant beeping of the car alarm is irritating.
  • It's irritating when people interrupt while I'm speaking.
vexing

Usually employed in more formal or literary contexts to describe something that causes pronounced frustration or worry, often in a persistent manner.

  • The question of how to solve the budget deficit is particularly vexing.
  • Her habit of arriving late is very vexing.

Examples of usage

  • The irksome sound of the dripping tap kept me awake all night.
  • His irksome habit of constantly interrupting others during conversations became quite tiresome.
  • She found the irksome task of data entry to be mind-numbingly boring.

Translations

Translations of the word "irksome" in other languages:

🇵🇹 irritante

🇮🇳 परेशान करने वाला

🇩🇪 ärgerlich

🇮🇩 menjengkelkan

🇺🇦 дратівливий

🇵🇱 irytujący

🇯🇵 苛立たしい

🇫🇷 irritant

🇪🇸 irritante

🇹🇷 rahatsız edici

🇰🇷 짜증나는

🇸🇦 مزعج

🇨🇿 otravný

🇸🇰 otravný

🇨🇳 恼人的

🇸🇮 moteč

🇮🇸 pirrandi

🇰🇿 жалықтырғыш

🇬🇪 გამაღიზიანებელი

🇦🇿 qıcıqlandırıcı

🇲🇽 irritante

Etymology

The word 'irksome' has its origins in Middle English, derived from the Old English word 'earxsum' meaning 'troublesome'. Over the centuries, the word has evolved to describe something irritating or annoying. It has been used in English literature and everyday language to convey a sense of frustration or annoyance towards a particular situation or person.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #20,498, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.