vexatory
Definition
Adjective: - Causing annoyance or distress: "vexatory" describes something that is intended to irritate, trouble, or harass someone. It is a formal or literary term, synonymous with "vexatious" in meaning, though less common.
Usage Examples
- (The legal action was intended to annoy or harass the opposing party.)
- (Her remarks were deliberately irritating.)
- (The behavior was designed to cause annoyance.)
Advanced Usage
- Legal context: In legal jargon, "vexatory" is sometimes used to describe lawsuits or motions brought without merit, solely to burden the opponent.
- The judge dismissed the case as vexatory, noting it had no legal basis. (The case was deemed harassing and frivolous.)
- Literary use: It appears in older or more formal texts to describe actions or persons that provoke irritation.
- The villain’s vexatory schemes were designed to torment the hero. (The plans were meant to cause distress.)
Variants and Related Words
- Vexatious (adj): the more common synonym; causing annoyance or worry.
- The vexatious noise from the construction site made it hard to concentrate. (The noise was irritating.)
- Vex (verb): to cause distress or annoyance.
- Do not vex your brother with such silly questions. (Do not annoy him.)
- Vexation (noun): the state of being annoyed or a cause of annoyance.
- Her constant complaints were a source of vexation to everyone. (They caused irritation.)
Synonyms
- Annoying: causing slight anger or irritation.
- Irritating: provoking impatience or anger.
- Harassing: subjecting to persistent pressure or torment.
- Troublesome: causing difficulty or annoyance.
Related Idioms
- A thorn in one’s side: a persistent source of annoyance.
- The vexatory neighbor was a thorn in the family’s side. (The neighbor was constantly irritating.)
- To get under someone’s skin: to irritate or annoy someone deeply.
- His vexatory remarks really got under her skin. (His comments annoyed her greatly.)