maddening

1 of 2

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

maddening

2 of 2

present participle of madden

Synonyms of maddening

Adjective

• frustrating
• annoying
• irritating
• disturbing

Examples of maddening in a Sentence

Adjective

He has a maddening habit of interrupting other people.

She shows a maddening inability to control her children.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This whole maddening episode is the perfect convergence of every possible form of college football dysfunction. — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Read more about the maddening limbo some patients have found themselves in while trying to get the first major pancreatic cancer breakthrough in decades. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 8 Sep. 2026

The Moores are in the same maddening predicament as hundreds of Palisades and Eaton fire survivors. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

The sequence was the boiling point of a maddening, inexplicable few days in Minnesota. — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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