vexation
/vɛkˈseɪʃ(ə)n
/noun [mass noun]
1The state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried: Jenna bit her lip in vexation...
- Isly bit her lip in vexation as tears poured down her cheeks.
- Still, there are egregious cases of blatant exploitation of the suffering of victims which apparently evoke no outrage, no vexation among the supporters of the war.
- He's gone back to staring at me, this time with far more vexation and hostility.
Synonyms
annoyance, irritation, irritability, exasperation, anger, rage, fury, temper, bad temper, hot temper, wrath, spleen, chagrin, pique, crossness, indignation, displeasure, discontent, dissatisfaction, disgruntlement, ill humour, peevishness, petulance, testiness, tetchiness, gall, resentment, umbrage;
perturbation, discomposure, worry, agitation, harassment
informal needling, aggravation, being rubbed up the wrong way, crabbiness
British informal stroppiness
literary ire, choler
1.1 [count noun] A cause of annoyance, frustration, or worry: the vexations of life under canvas...
- The man seemed to have grasped the essence of standing aloof from worldly anxieties and vexations.
- I began to notice it about 10 years ago, in my early middle age, when the larger vexations of adulthood - don't get me started - were becoming real to me for the first time.
- The technical difficulties encountered in the display of Net-based media are just part of the vexations that plague curators as they attempt to incorporate this work into a gallery setting.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin vexatio(n-), from vexare (see vex).