madden

verb

ˈma-dᵊn How to pronounce madden (audio)
Definition of maddennext
1
as in to bother
to cause to go insane or as if insane the endless swarms of mosquitoes all but maddened the explorers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to infuriate
to make angry her perpetual tardiness maddened her friends to no end

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of madden Anthony Richardson possessed almost extraterrestrial talent but maddening inconsistency. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026 Prices remain high and the roads maddening, but few Mediterranean islands offer so many convincing ways to reach sunrise. — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026 Though Larwood was bowling to a conventional field at the time, Jardine immediately switched to a bodyline field, further maddening the audience. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026 Sure, the mandatory hydration breaks added for all games (including those in domed stadiums with air conditioning) and a first-ever halftime show in the final were maddening for the soccer purists. — Jasmine Garsd, NPR, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for madden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for madden
  1. bother
  2. infuriate
  3. disturb
  4. anger
  5. confuse
  6. enrage
  7. derange
  8. annoy
Verb
  • Gee, who used to pop into fraternity parties unannounced to keep tabs on them, said he is not bothered by the reintegration of the three formerly rogue organizations.
    — Brittany Shammas, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • This is a dense picture—there’s almost too much to unpack, if you can be bothered to care about any of it.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of bother
Verb
  • Trip isn’t the standout role, but Keery handles the character’s exasperated monologues with panache, turning self-defense and infuriated straight-talk into acts of exhilarating sanity.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Cummings said that in January 2021, a friend of Birchmore’s called Stoughton police and told a dispatcher about the illicit relationship, infuriating Farwell.
    — Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of infuriate
Verb
  • An officer responded to PSA, and police said about two pallets of cards were stolen from the truck and a third was disturbed.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • On vehicles with a dedicated secondary passenger display, front passengers can browse, view lyrics, and watch video content without disturbing the driver.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturb
Verb
  • Data center demand began driving up electric bills last year across a 13-state electricity grid stretching from Illinois to New Jersey and Maryland, angering ratepayers.
    — Marc Levy, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Indeed, the survey showed that use of the horn is the most common action when drivers consider another driver to be annoying or angering them.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of anger
Verb
  • Bill Belichick has made a Hall of Fame career on confusing young quarterbacks.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Splitter praises his movement on and off the ball, which seems to visibly confuse opposing defenses.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of confuse
Verb
  • They were enraged at the way the current administration had decimated progressive policies toward children, women, people of color, gay people and transgender people.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The administration removed hundreds of trees from the East Potomac Golf Links over the weekend, enraging the judge.
    — Julia Boehning, The Hill, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of enrage
Verb
  • From SheetsGate to purposefully washing Joy’s uniforms with rags, the laundry room has unleashed something deranged in Gen.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Featuring an ensemble populated by killer character actors like Jacki Weaver, Luis Guzmán, Kurtwood Smith, Timothy Spall, and Michael Chernus, Perpetual Grace, LTD is an off-kilter neo-noir that mines deranged humor from its eccentric characters.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of derange
Verb
  • Returning the sarcasm tends to cause the same problem, with two people annoyed instead of one.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Williams is annoyed and wants order while Kirke is hardly paying attention and lugs vases of flowers through her home.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of annoy

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Cite this Entry

“Madden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/madden. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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