Vex means: Angry, annoyed. "I'm vex with him" = I'm angry at him. Used freely in Caribbean English; also archaic British.. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
Definitions
Caribbean
#1·Apr 26, 2026Caribbean
Angry, annoyed. "I'm vex with him" = I'm angry at him. Used freely in Caribbean English; also archaic British.
"Don't make me vex."
Origin: Caribbean English (and archaic British / dialect); from the older English "vexed" but with more current usage in the Caribbean.
For parents
Vex means: Angry, annoyed. "I'm vex with him" = I'm angry at him. Used freely in Caribbean English; also archaic British.. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.
For ESL learners
vex means: Angry, annoyed. "I'm vex with him" = I'm angry at him. Used freely in Caribbean English; also archaic British.. Register: archaic, historical. Almost never used today; you will find it only in older texts, dictionaries of dialect, or historical writing. Avoid in active vocabulary. Common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; always check the context before producing it yourself.
Cluster: angry
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Caribbean
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Other words near "vex" (V)
very mindful, very demurevery yesveshtivestvetkoekvetkousieVIBEvibe checkvibe-codedvibe codingvibes-basedvibe shift
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(chiefly, US, Canada, Australia, mildly, _, vulgar, colloquial) Annoyed, angry.
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Annoyed; mildly irritated. Used across British English but with strong Northern/Midlands flavor. Stronger than mildly bothered, milder than angry.