Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb vex
5 senses of vex
Sense 1
annoy, rag, get to, bother, get at, irritate, rile, nark, nettle, gravel, vex, chafe, devil -- (cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations; "Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me"; "It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves")
=> displease -- (give displeasure to)
Sense 2
worry, vex -- (disturb the peace of mind of; afflict with mental agitation or distress; "I cannot sleep--my daughter's health is worrying me")
=> perturb, unhinge, disquiet, trouble, cark, distract, disorder -- (disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed; "She was rather perturbed by the news that her father was seriously ill")
Sense 3
agitate, vex, disturb, commove, shake up, stir up, raise up -- (change the arrangement or position of)
=> move, displace -- (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense; "Move those boxes into the corner, please"; "I'm moving my money to another bank"; "The director moved more responsibilities onto his new assistant")
Sense 4
vex -- (subject to prolonged examination, discussion, or deliberation; "vex the subject of the death penalty")
=> debate, deliberate -- (discuss the pros and cons of an issue)
Sense 5
perplex, vex, stick, get, puzzle, mystify, baffle, beat, pose, bewilder, flummox, stupefy, nonplus, gravel, amaze, dumbfound -- (be a mystery or bewildering to; "This beats me!"; "Got me--I don't know the answer!"; "a vexing problem"; "This question really stuck me")
=> confuse, throw, fox, befuddle, fuddle, bedevil, confound, discombobulate -- (be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly; "These questions confuse even the experts"; "This question completely threw me"; "This question befuddled even the teacher")
Antonyms of adj vexed
2 senses of vexed
Sense 1
annoyed, harassed, harried, pestered, vexed -- (troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances; "harassed working mothers"; "a harried expression"; "her poor pestered father had to endure her constant interruptions"; "the vexed parents of an unruly teenager")
INDIRECT (VIA troubled) -> untroubled -- (not beset by troubles or disturbance or distress; "seemed untroubled by doubts of any kind"; "untroubled sleep"; "a kind untroubled face")
Sense 2
vexed -- (causing difficulty in finding an answer or solution; much disputed; "the vexed issue of priorities"; "we live in vexed and troubled times")
INDIRECT (VIA difficult) -> easy -- (posing no difficulty; requiring little effort; "an easy job"; "an easy problem"; "an easy victory"; "the house is easy to heat"; "satisfied with easy answers"; "took the easy way out of his dilemma")
Similarity of adj vexed
2 senses of vexed
Sense 1
annoyed, harassed, harried, pestered, vexed -- (troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances; "harassed working mothers"; "a harried expression"; "her poor pestered father had to endure her constant interruptions"; "the vexed parents of an unruly teenager")
=> troubled (vs. untroubled) -- (characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need; "troubled areas"; "fell into a troubled sleep"; "a troubled expression"; "troubled teenagers")
Sense 2
vexed -- (causing difficulty in finding an answer or solution; much disputed; "the vexed issue of priorities"; "we live in vexed and troubled times")
=> difficult (vs. easy), hard -- (not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure; "a difficult task"; "nesting places on the cliffs are difficult of access"; "difficult times"; "why is it so hard for you to keep a secret?")