maddening

adjective

mad·​den·​ing ˈmad-niŋ 

ˈma-dᵊn-iŋ

1

: tending to disturb or drive mad

2

a

: tending to infuriate

b

: tending to vex : irritating

maddeningly

ˈmad-niŋ-lē 

ˈma-dᵊn-iŋ-

adverb

Synonyms of maddening

• frustrating
• annoying
• irritating
• disturbing

Examples of maddening in a Sentence

He has a maddening habit of interrupting other people.

She shows a maddening inability to control her children.

Recent Examples on the Web

This is all the more maddening in Milwaukee because, in 2008, the Brewers tried their best. — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026

More than enough time for the Rangers to finish a maddening third. — Mac Engel july 31, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Aug. 2026

Parva, meanwhile, bundles its continuous monitoring platform with lab coordination and the maddening work of finding the right specialist. — Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Sugar’s purpose in this earthly life — to reunite lost families in the City of Angels — is crumbling under the maddening impossibility of convicting a policeman of a crime in a world where the crime is the point. — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 24 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1743, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for maddening

• saddening

Kids Definition

maddening

adjective

mad·​den·​ing

ˈmad-niŋ, 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: that irritates or angers

a maddening habit

maddeningly adverb