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Synonym Chooser

How is the word rile different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of rile are exasperate, irritate, nettle, peeve, and provoke. While all these words mean "to excite a feeling of anger or annoyance," rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.

the new work schedules riled the employees

When would exasperate be a good substitute for rile?

In some situations, the words exasperate and rile are roughly equivalent. However, exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.

his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions

When is it sensible to use irritate instead of rile?

Although the words irritate and rile have much in common, irritate implies an often gradual arousing of angry feelings that may range from mere impatience to rage.

constant nagging that irritated me greatly

When is nettle a more appropriate choice than rile?

The words nettle and rile are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.

your pompous attitude nettled several people

When can peeve be used instead of rile?

While the synonyms peeve and rile are close in meaning, peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.

a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie

When could provoke be used to replace rile?

The synonyms provoke and rile are sometimes interchangeable, but provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.

remarks made solely to provoke her

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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rile
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
  • There are other infuriating remarks, too.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
  • That has infuriated business leaders who complain it makes the state less competitive and drives away the wealthy.
    Fortune, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Combining three different actives (AHAs, BHAs, and PHAs) in one product without totally irritating the skin seems like an impossible task, yet Some by Mi has accomplished it with this ease.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Always dilute apple cider vinegar with water and drink through a straw to avoid damaging tooth enamel and irritating the esophagus.
    Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The land was acquired by the company through the village in 2018 in a move that angered a lot residents but in 2023 the Foxconn project failed to live up to its original expectation.
    Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Others are angered that the visa requires only an undergraduate STEM degree, saying that is setting the bar too low at a time when young people in China feel pressured to rack up advanced degrees in order to compete with their peers in the job market.
    Peter Guo, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Not the kind of thrift store that’s actually thrifty, but the kind of thrift store that doesn’t have any price tags because the people who can afford to shop there don’t need to bother themselves with price tags.
    Lex Goldstein, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Being a double Viking with Swedish and Norman blood on each side of my family, the cold never bothered me.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Even if Gazans are enraged at Israel for killing nearly 70,000 Palestinians during the war, Hamas still takes part of the public blame.
    Matt Bradley, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2025
  • The incident enraged the South Koreans and ran counter to Trump’s push to lure foreign manufacturers to invest in America.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In Nazi Germany, transgender people were persecuted, barred from public life.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Blasphemy accusations have been used repeatedly to persecute Christians and other religious minorities in the country.
    Sean Nelson, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Both can reduce debris or items that attract the boxelder bugs.
    Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Chinch bugs overwinter in moist, deep thatch.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rile. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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