Vexes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To provoke feelings of annoyance or irritation in someone To instigate a sense of frustration or distress in another individual To continuously trouble or disturb another person, leading to discomfort and unease
2. Causes someone to feel bothered or upset through irritating actions
3. Creates a sense of discomfort or displeasure by provoking annoyance

Etymology: This is an inflected form, so the answer is brief: "vexes" is the third-person singular present of "vex", meaning it describes a single subject (he, she, it) being annoyed or troubled by something. The verb "vex" came into Middle English as "vexen" from Old French "vexer", which took it from Latin "vexāre", meaning "to disturb, agitate, or annoy". Its Latin ancestor sounds physical, a shaking or jostling, and the English sense of irritation grew out of that idea of being unsettled. English speakers once had native words for this job, Old English "dreċċan" and "gremman", but "vex" pushed them aside.

Synonyms: annoys, irritates, disturbs, troubles, bothers

Antonyms: pleases, delights, soothes, calms, comforts