vexation
/vekˈseɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /vekˈseɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /vek-ˈsā-shən How to pronounce vexation (audio)/ (ame, mw)
vexation — noun
- vexationsingular
- vexationsplural
1. the feeling of being annoyed, worried, or upset, especially when the cause is fr
the feeling of being annoyed, worried, or upset, especially when the cause is frustrating and you cannot easily change it
Mei expressed her vexation when the airline lost her luggage twice in one month.
vexation at [someone/something] — expressing frustration toward a specific target
To his great vexation, the library closed before Javier could reach the front door.
to [possessive] great vexation — formal phrase showing the person affected
The old man shook his head in vexation as the traffic jam stretched to the bridge.
Fatima could not hide her vexation when the hospital cancelled her appointment at the last minute.
- annoyance
more common in everyday speech, less intense
- irritation
similar register but slightly milder
- exasperation
stronger; suggests complete loss of patience
- frustration
focuses on being prevented from achieving something
- contentment
a calm, peaceful state
文法句型
vexation at/about something
with/in vexation
用法筆記
Usually uncountable in this sense; the countable plural form (vexations) belongs to sense 2.
常見錯誤
2. a person, thing, or situation that makes you feel annoyed, worried, or upset
a person, thing, or situation that makes you feel annoyed, worried, or upset
Delayed trains were a daily vexation for commuters living in the suburbs outside the city.
a daily vexation — something that annoys regularly
A broken smartphone is a major vexation when you depend on it for your whole business.
a major vexation — emphasises scale of the annoyance
Olga found the endless paperwork to be the greatest vexation of her new teaching job.
Small technical glitches are a constant vexation for Wei, who manages the office computer network.
The leaking roof became yet another vexation that the landlord refused to fix for months.
文法句型
vexation of something
a/some vexation
用法筆記
Common with daily, constant, major, and little to describe how troublesome something is. Frequently appears in lists of problems (one vexation after another).
3. the act of deliberately annoying, troubling, or upsetting someone, often repeate
the act of deliberately annoying, troubling, or upsetting someone, often repeatedly or systematically
The children's constant vexation of their elderly neighbour led to a formal complaint.
vexation of [someone] — pattern for indicating the target of the act
Shopkeepers saw the new parking rules as a deliberate vexation of small business owners.
deliberate vexation — intentional troubling
Prisoners accused the guards of systematic vexation and harassment during their time in detention.
Kwame viewed the endless inspection requests as a bureaucratic vexation meant to slow his team down.
- harassment
stronger and more common; implies persistent and often intimidating behaviour
- troubling
softer; less specific about intent
- pestering
informal; suggests repeated minor annoyances
- kindness
act of being helpful and considerate
- consideration
thoughtful treatment of others
文法句型
vexation of someone
deliberate vexation
用法筆記
This sense is rare in modern everyday English. It appears most often in formal contexts such as legal complaints, historical writing, or discussions about ill-treatment. The related verb vex is more common.