Galling — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈgȯ-liŋ/ gall·ing

Meaning & Definition of Galling

Galling (adjective)

  1. markedly irritating, vexing

Galling (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing annoyance

    "her holier-than-thou attitude is galling"

    similar: abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, nettling, peeving, pesky, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, pesty, plaguey, rankling, rebarbative, riling, vexatious, vexing
    related: burdensome, discomforting, displeasing, disquieting, distressing, importunate, importune, inconveniencing, angering, enraging, infuriating, brattish, bratty, mischievous, offensive, troublesome, upsetting, distractive, painful, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, worrisome, biting, grating, jangling, jarring, spiny, thorny
    near: delightful, pleasing

  2. hard to accept or bear especially emotionally

    "losing in the last round of play-offs was galling to our home team"

    similar: afflicting, agonizing, bitter, cruel, excruciating, grievous, harrowing, harsh, heartrending, hurtful, painful, tormenting, torturous
    related: insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unacceptable, unbearable, unendurable, unsupportable, appalling, awful, bad, dire, dreadful, ghastly, horrible, miserable, nasty, rotten, severe, terrible, vile, wretched, acute, extreme, intense, piercing
    opposite: gratifying, pleasing, sweet
    near: bearable, endurable, supportable, sustainable, tolerable, livable, sufferable, survivable, acceptable, allowable, reasonable

Galling (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to damage or diminish by continued friction

    "move that rope so the sharp edge of the hull doesn't gall it"

    similar: abrading, chafing, corrading, eroding, fraying, frazzling, fretting, rasping, rubbing, wearing
    related: filing, gnawing, grating, grazing, grinding, nibbling, sandblasting, sandpapering, scouring, scraping, scuffing, shaving, erasing, reducing, rubbing out, wearing out, wiping (away), biting, breaking down, breaking up, chewing, corroding, decomposing, disintegrating, dissolving, eating, honing, sharpening, whetting

  2. to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

    "humming through your nose like that absolutely galls me"

    similar: aggravating, annoying, bothering, bugging, burning (up), chafing, eating, exasperating, frosting, getting, grating, griping, hacking (off), irking, irritating, itching, narking (British), nettling, peeving, persecuting, piquing, putting out, rasping, riling, ruffling, spiting, vexing, getting one's goat, getting on one's nerves, getting to, rubbing the wrong way, setting one's teeth on edge, sticking in one's craw, wearing on
    related: hassling, heckling, nagging, inflaming, provoking, rousing, badgering, baiting, bullyragging, deviling, hagriding, harassing, harrying, pestering, plaguing, teasing, angering, antagonizing, enraging, incensing, infuriating, maddening, rankling, roiling, agitating, discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, exercising, freaking (out), fretting, perturbing, undoing, unhinging, unsettling, upsetting, worrying, affronting, insulting, miffing, offending, outraging
    near: appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, obliging, pacifying, placating, propitiating, delighting, gladdening, gratifying, pleasing, satisfying, assuring, cheering, comforting, consoling, contenting, quieting, reassuring, solacing, soothing

  3. to make sore by continued rubbing

    "tie your shoes so they don't gall your heels sliding on and off like that"

    similar: abrading, chafing, excoriating, fretting, irritating
    related: grazing, scraping, scratching, burning, inflaming, flaying, peeling, skinning

Related Entry: Gall (verb)

Gall is a different word from Galling. The synonyms below are for gall, not for galling.

  1. to damage or diminish by continued friction

    "move that rope so the sharp edge of the hull doesn't gall it"

    similar: abrade, chafe, corrade, erode, fray, frazzle, fret, rasp, rub, wear
    related: file, gnaw, grate, graze, grind, nibble, sandblast, sandpaper, scour, scrape, scuff, shave, erase, reduce, rub out, wear out, wipe (away), bite, break down, break up, chew, corrode, decompose, disintegrate, dissolve, eat, hone, sharpen, whet

  2. to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

    "humming through your nose like that absolutely galls me"

    similar: aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat, exasperate, frost, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, irritate, itch, nark (British), nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, vex, get one's goat, get on one's nerves, get to, rub the wrong way, set one's teeth on edge, stick in one's craw, wear on
    related: hassle, heckle, nag, inflame, provoke, rouse, badger, bait, bullyrag, devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease, anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil, agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry, affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage
    near: appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate, delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy, assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe

  3. to make sore by continued rubbing

    "tie your shoes so they don't gall your heels sliding on and off like that"

    similar: abrade, chafe, excoriate, fret, irritate
    related: graze, scrape, scratch, burn, inflame, flay, peel, skin

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Galling

The most common words with a similar meaning to Galling:

British: narking
abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, nettling, peeving, pesky, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, pesty, plaguey, rankling, rebarbative, riling, vexatious, vexing, afflicting, agonizing, bitter, cruel, excruciating, grievous, harrowing, harsh, heartrending, hurtful, painful, tormenting, torturous, abrading

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Galling

Words with the opposite meaning of Galling:

gratifying, pleasing, sweet

Related Words for Galling

burdensome, discomforting, displeasing, disquieting, distressing, importunate, importune, inconveniencing, angering, enraging, infuriating, brattish, bratty, mischievous, offensive, troublesome, upsetting, distractive, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, worrisome, biting, jangling, jarring, spiny, thorny, insufferable, insupportable

Near Antonyms of Galling

delightful, bearable, endurable, supportable, sustainable, tolerable, livable, sufferable, survivable, acceptable, allowable, reasonable, appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, obliging, pacifying, placating, propitiating, delighting, gladdening, satisfying, assuring, cheering, comforting, consoling, contenting, quieting, reassuring, solacing

Word Forms of Galling

Derived words: gallingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Galling

from present participle of gall:2

First known use: 1583

Frequently Asked Questions about Galling

What does "Galling" mean?

"Galling" means markedly irritating, vexing. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: markedly irritating, vexing. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Galling"?

Other words for "Galling" include abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing and exasperating. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Galling" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Galling"?

There are 190 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Galling". Common alternatives include abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating and irksome.

What is the opposite of "Galling"?

Antonyms of "Galling" include gratifying, pleasing and sweet. Near antonyms include delightful, bearable, endurable and supportable.

How do you use "Galling" in a sentence?

Examples of "Galling" in a sentence: "her holier-than-thou attitude is galling"; "losing in the last round of play-offs was galling to our home team"; "move that rope so the sharp edge of the hull doesn't gall it".

Is "Galling" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Galling" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Galling"?

"Galling" is pronounced /ˈgȯ-liŋ/ and divided into syllables as gall·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Galling"?

"Galling" comes from from present participle of gall:2. First known use: 1583.