1
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
one sure way to rile me is to keep yelling for me
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to infuriate
to make angry
her husband isn't easily riled, but once he is, he stays that way for days
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of rile
The locals, especially seniors and year-round residents, are riled up.
—
Kim Velsey, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2025
The perpetrator is obviously deranged, but posts like Min’s might rile up and radicalize the next deranged person.
—Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025
With Petro’s term coming to an end next year and the leader not up for reelection, candidates may seek to rile up anti-American sentiment in the country or to appeal to Trump by campaigning for a tougher approach.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Getting rid of the tush push will not stop the issue everyone is riled up about.
—Mark Kern, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rile
Kim Velsey, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2025
The perpetrator is obviously deranged, but posts like Min’s might rile up and radicalize the next deranged person.
—Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025
With Petro’s term coming to an end next year and the leader not up for reelection, candidates may seek to rile up anti-American sentiment in the country or to appeal to Trump by campaigning for a tougher approach.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Getting rid of the tush push will not stop the issue everyone is riled up about.
—Mark Kern, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rile
Verb
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While Johnson had plenty to be pleased with, he was annoyed by the number of penalties and said the offense has to do a better job of running the football.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
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They’re built not to resist developers but, as their name suggests, they’re intentionally designed, with a degree of malice, to annoy someone specific.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Watching Texas and other states trying to rig the 2026 congressional elections is infuriating.—
Neal Fornaciari,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Oct. 2025
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Watching Texas and other states try to rig the 2026 congressional elections is infuriating.—
Guest Commentary,
Oc Register,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The formula was comfortable and didn’t irritate my skin or leave any residue.—
Essence,
Essence,
28 Oct. 2025
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The lord didn’t much care for that, which of course only made Heinzelmann want to irritate him further.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That loss of sales has already angered many Midwestern soybean farmers, who see the administration’s Argentina outreach as benefiting a competitor while leaving American exporters disadvantaged.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
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The deal could improve America’s relationship with its chief economic adversary while angering key allies and its two biggest trading partners.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That’s what bothers me about it.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
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The 20-year-old didn’t bother inspecting it further, threw it in the gutter and went on with her day.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While this violation enrages the village’s women, the men who make up the Panchayat (village council) try and fail to cast her out of town.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
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Trump raised tariffs on Canada from 25 percent to 35 percent over the weekend, enraged over an anti-tariff ad aired in the Ontario province featuring President Ronald Reagan.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Create Abundance's lawyer in Canada, Brian Vickers, said that the two companies Li directed were not connected to the group and that it was being wrongfully persecuted.—
Didi Kirsten Tatlow,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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In Nazi Germany, transgender people were persecuted, barred from public life.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Oct. 2025
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Chinch bugs overwinter in moist, deep thatch.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rile. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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