as in frustrating
causing annoyance
after a few days, she found the monotonous work to be absolutely maddening
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in disturbing
to cause to go insane or as if insane
the endless swarms of mosquitoes all but maddened the explorers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in infuriating
to make angry
her perpetual tardiness maddened her friends to no end
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maddening
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 May 2026
The maddening answer is that no one really knows.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
What makes this case maddening is that every system seemed to work halfway.
—Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for maddening
Adjective
That’s why some of their aimless enthusiasm around generative AI can feel so paradoxical and maddening.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 May 2026
The maddening answer is that no one really knows.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
Verb
The rest of the production had been much harder—particularly because, to his frustration, he’d been forced to film primarily in Atlanta rather than in Oakland, after a year of maddening delays led to the production losing its California tax rebate.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
What makes this case maddening is that every system seemed to work halfway.
—Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for maddening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maddening
Adjective
-
If this World Cup has been trying for Iran, it’s been frustrating for Belgium, which hasn’t scored a goal of its own.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
The Netherlands are coming off a frustrating 2-2 draw against Japan and desperately need a win to keep their qualification hopes alive.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Romantic from the first frame to the last, Park Chan-wook's 2022 masterpiece is a culmination of his steady and coherent approach to disturbing characters and his love for Hitchcock.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
-
In addition, Field appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, was yelling, acting belligerently and was disturbing residents, including a mother with young children.—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The Iranians moved their training base from Arizona to Mexico, and the team has been required to leave Los Angeles right after both matches, infuriating Ghalenoei.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 June 2026
-
If only the look from the outside-in had measured up the same way instead of descending into a fiasco as thousands faced infuriating delays getting to the stadium.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
That particularly could be annoying to Uruguay supporters, given Messi’s stature in the sport overall and in particular with defending champion Argentina, La Celeste’s biggest rival.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
-
It’s widely considered rude and annoying when people cluster by the train doors if there are more people on the platform attempting to get on.—
Claudia Fisher,
Travel + Leisure,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
The most common mistake is confusing more communication with a better signal.—
Gerald J. Leonard,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s investigation of the alternative medicine industry uncovered a pattern of practitioners across Georgia pushing legal limits on what they’re allowed to do and presenting confusing information about their credentials.—
Carrie Teegardin,
AJC.com,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
The university, its athletic department and anyone associated with it haven't done the Red Raiders and their quarterback any favors, either, with people like head coach Joey Maguire and billionaire booster Cody Campbell sounding off on the issue and only angering fans further.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
-
The Star, which also looked into the killing, revealed that Jordan’s associations with organized crime figures, as well as his apparent disregard for angering them, likely contributed to his death.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
The post carried neither hereditary title nor extraordinary fortune, and yet it was regarded with a degree of respect that many noble families found faintly irritating.—
Adam Kirsch,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
-
And compared with stronger anti-aging ingredients like retinoids or chemical exfoliants, copper peptides are generally considered less irritating and are often well-tolerated by sensitive skin.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
In addition, intense, exciting soccer matches can be distracting and lead to overlooking subtle signs of dehydration.—
Lisa Fitzpatrick,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
Finally, toolbars are becoming more consistent, and the distracting icons in drop-down menus are quietly disappearing.—
Edward Mendelson,
PC Magazine,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maddening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maddening. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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