irksome Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
    tedious; slow; ho-hum; boring; wearisome; deadening; tiresome; dull.
    • a boring evening with uninteresting people
    • the deadening effect of some routine tasks
    • a dull play
    • his competent but dull performance
    • a ho-hum speaker who couldn't capture their attention
    • what an irksome task the writing of long letters is"- Edmund Burke
    • tedious days on the train
    • the tiresome chirping of a cricket"- Mark Twain
    • other people's dreams are dreadfully wearisome

WordNet

Irk"some adjective
Definitions
  1. Wearisome; tedious; disagreeable or troublesome by reason of long continuance or repetition; as, irksome hours; irksome tasks.
    For not to irksome toil, but to delight, He made us. Milton.
  2. Weary; vexed; uneasy. Obs.
    Let us therefore learn not to be irksome when God layeth his cross upon us. Latimer.
    Syn. -- Wearisome; tedious; tiresome; vexatious; burdensome. -- Irksome, Wearisome, Tedious. These epithets describe things which give pain or disgust. Irksome is applied to something which disgusts by its nature or quality; as, an irksome task. Wearisome denotes that which wearies or wears us out by severe labor; as, wearisome employment. Tedious is applied to something which tires us out by the length of time occupied in its performance; as, a tedious speech.
    Wearisome nights are appointed to me. Job vii. 3.
    Pity only on fresh objects stays, But with the tedious sight of woes decays. Dryden.
    -- Irk"some*ly, adv. -- Irk"some*ness, n.

Webster 1913