Meanings
comparative more vexatious · superlative most vexatious
- Causing vexation or annoyance; teasing; troublesome.
Although this letter is vexatious, I must not forget that my little entertainment has brought me a visiter in the Marquess of Wentworthdale, on an errand of no small moment, as the Countess of Rotheles may soon learn, to her surprise, for I shall, probably, see him at the Opera to-night.
1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXI, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 259 - archaicFull of trouble or disquiet
He leads a vexatious life.
1644, Kenelm Digby, Two Treatises, To My Son Kenelm Digby (preface)Synonyms: harassed, distressed, annoyed, vexed
- lawCommenced for the purpose of giving trouble, without due cause.
a vexatious lawsuit
- lawIn the habit of starting vexatious litigation and therefore liable to have restraints placed on one's ability to access the courts.
a vexatious litigant
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveFull of trouble or disquiet
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivecausing irritation or annoyance
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Ancient Greek ἀργαλέος
- ἀργαλέος (argaléos)causing vexation
Bulgarian дразнещ, притеснителен
- дразнещ (draznešt)causing vexation
- притеснителен (pritesnitelen)full of trouble or disquiet
Catalan vexatori, vexatori
- vexatoricausing vexation
- vexatorifull of trouble or disquiet
Chinese Mandarin 無理取鬧 /无理取闹
- 無理取鬧 /无理取闹 (wúlǐqǔnào)full of trouble or disquiet
Dutch vexatoir, ergerlijk
- vexatoircausing vexation
- ergerlijkfull of trouble or disquiet
Finnish ärsyttävä, harmillinen
- ärsyttäväcausing vexation
- harmillinencausing vexation
- vaikeafull of trouble or disquiet
German ärgerlich, lästig
- ärgerlichcausing vexation
- lästigcausing vexation
- verdrießlichcausing vexation
- nervtötendcausing vexation
- belästigendcausing vexation
- verärgerndcausing vexation
Greek ενοχλητικός, εξοργιστικός
- ενοχλητικός (enochlitikós)causing vexation
- εξοργιστικός (exorgistikós)causing vexation
- ενοχλητικός (enochlitikós)full of trouble or disquiet
Māori whakatakariri, inonoti
- whakatakariricausing vexation
- inonoticausing vexation
Polish dokuczliwy, irytujący
- dokuczliwycausing vexation
- irytującycausing vexation
- nieznośnycausing vexation
- przykrycausing vexation
- zaniepokojonyfull of trouble or disquiet
Russian раздража́ющий, беспоко́йный
- раздража́ющий (razdražájuščij)causing vexation
- беспоко́йный (bespokójnyj)full of trouble or disquiet
Scottish Gaelic draghail
- draghailcausing vexation
Spanish vejatorio, vejador
- vejatoriocausing vexation
- vejadorcausing vexation
- vejatoriofull of trouble or disquiet
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with vexatious
Cite this entry
vexatious. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vexatious
“vexatious.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vexatious. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vexatious,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vexatious.
Source: vexatious on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.