If something vexes you, it brings you trouble or difficulty. In other words, it annoys, worries, distresses, irritates, bothers, or puzzles you.
- Pronunciation: / vɛks/
- English description: cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
- Synonyms: irritate
- Chinese Translation: 使恼怒(shi3 nao3 nu4)
- Spanish Translation: fastidiar
- ORIGIN: 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 from Middle English vexen, from Middle French vexer, from Latin vexare "to shake, attack, trouble."
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
- Still, two interesting—and vexing—issues for the technology industry, and for the politicians who regulate it, emerged in the debate.
- The season has been vexing for both because of the way their teams have struggled.
*New word description, story and part of "EXAMPLE SENTENCE" are cited in Vocabulary.com