ruffle feathers

idiom

informal

: to upset or offend people

Her research has been ruffling feathers for years.

His critical remarks ruffled the feathers of the board members.

I agreed to do what they wanted because I didn't want to ruffle any feathers.

Examples of ruffle feathers in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In this approach, an individual actively tries to ruffle feathers or make things worse due to feelings of being wronged or vengeance. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

But that practice can ruffle feathers with the owners of masters, and has led to disputes in the past. —Bill Donahue, Billboard, 15 Mar. 2024

But yeah, something that was earnest was just something that was gonna ruffle feathers of that, like, 20-something city crowd. —Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 6 June 2023

This is part of Baker’s brilliance: to ruffle feathers with the calmest of breezes. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2023

No movie captures everyone's experience, and this film will surely ruffle feathers (kissing in front of the Torah is not exactly kosher). —David Oliver, USA TODAY, 26 Aug. 2023

The next most sensible choice is Ross Chastain, who’s led the standings on multiple occasions this season while continuing to ruffle feathers along the way. —Cole Cusumano, The Arizona Republic, 8 June 2023

But that can ruffle feathers in the context of a campaign where officeholders are expected to lock arms with those in their own party. —Joseph Morton, Dallas News, 4 May 2023

But yeah, something that was earnest was just something that was gonna ruffle feathers of that, like, 20-something city crowd. —Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 6 June 2023