as in angry
feeling or showing anger
the woman was obviously riled, as she kept throwing things
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in annoyed
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in infuriated
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 riled
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2026
The more people tell them to pipe down, the more riled up Kizzi and Joe get.
—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Jan. 2026
They’re aided by a small team of assistants who double as dogsitters when Siwa’s poodle Clyde gets too riled up in the dance studio — he’s been known to nip the ankles of men.
—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2026
Water use, electricity costs and more have riled up large portions of the electorate.
—
Brian Sullivan,
CNBC,
24 June 2026
That’s the only explicable reason for Australians to be riled up by comments from a guy most American fans can’t pick out of a lineup, whose most productive season came for a club literally named the Rough Riders.
—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
After New York pulled off a 29-point comeback against the Spurs at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, June 10, riled up fans flocked to the San Antonio team's New York City hotel, where Wembanyama was met with boos and nearly pelted with eggs.
—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
The issue has riled the pharmaceutical industry and contributed to a long-standing clash with hospitals over the 340B drug discount program.
—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
1 June 2026
Even when The Breadwinner starts to tiptoe toward potential reactionary ideas about who belongs in the workplace and who belongs at home, the movie backs off and makes sure that no leaves the theater riled up.
—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
New York — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who has a net worth estimated at roughly $200 billion, was recently asked about California’s wealth tax proposal that has some billionaires riled up.
—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Boldy returned to action with the second line for the second period — drawing a roar from the crowd that was riled up about the officiating throughout the first period — and assisted on a goal that tied it at 2.
—
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Jacobs, at least in the movie, never gets riled or angry or stressed.
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2026
The more people tell them to pipe down, the more riled up Kizzi and Joe get.
—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Jan. 2026
They’re aided by a small team of assistants who double as dogsitters when Siwa’s poodle Clyde gets too riled up in the dance studio — he’s been known to nip the ankles of men.
—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
Amid ramping tensions as federal immigration enforcement officers riled the Chicago area, a Lake County fashion student created an award-winning collection drawing from her family’s immigrant roots.
—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2026
Water use, electricity costs and more have riled up large portions of the electorate.
—
Brian Sullivan,
CNBC,
24 June 2026
That’s the only explicable reason for Australians to be riled up by comments from a guy most American fans can’t pick out of a lineup, whose most productive season came for a club literally named the Rough Riders.
—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
After New York pulled off a 29-point comeback against the Spurs at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, June 10, riled up fans flocked to the San Antonio team's New York City hotel, where Wembanyama was met with boos and nearly pelted with eggs.
—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
The issue has riled the pharmaceutical industry and contributed to a long-standing clash with hospitals over the 340B drug discount program.
—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
1 June 2026
Even when The Breadwinner starts to tiptoe toward potential reactionary ideas about who belongs in the workplace and who belongs at home, the movie backs off and makes sure that no leaves the theater riled up.
—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
New York — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who has a net worth estimated at roughly $200 billion, was recently asked about California’s wealth tax proposal that has some billionaires riled up.
—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Boldy returned to action with the second line for the second period — drawing a roar from the crowd that was riled up about the officiating throughout the first period — and assisted on a goal that tied it at 2.
—
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riled
Adjective
-
Last week, Dipke traveled to several Indian cities, joining thousands of angry demonstrators to demand the education minister’s removal.
-
Played by House of the Dragon’s Milly Alcock, Kara’s path crosses that of an angry, sword-wielding teenager, Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley), who seeks revenge for her slain family.
Verb
-
David goes on a tour of the past 250 years and is deeply annoyed by every facet of it.
-
There were more infamous incidents, such as when Dave Hodge was visibly annoyed at the network cutting away from a Montreal Canadiens-Philadelphia Flyers game tied late in regulation to show a news broadcast.
Verb
-
By the second half, the two teams meandering about the pitch infuriated everyone not on the pitch.
-
Just six months into a four-year term, the new mayor has infuriated some allies who endorsed him over Andrew Cuomo last year as divisions among progressive candidates define the primary season.
Adjective
-
Rob-Will’s enraged face as Beulah told him what the situation actually is was pretty amazing.
-
Massive, lumpy-looking hippos, who prefer to wallow or swim slowly in water pools, lakes, and rivers can run as fast as 25 km/h (about 70 meters in 10 seconds), a respectable sprinting speed not to be matched by most adults trying to outrun an enraged animal.
Verb
-
The messaging bothered Al-Shaair deeply and still does.
-
Neighbors bothered by crowing or other issues can file nuisance complaints with Animal Care and Control.
Verb
-
Though both agree that in real life, Berlant would fit in more easily than Early, who, during a break from the shoot, angered a trio of local Hamptonites merely by using the bathroom at a Citarella.
-
Though net migration is down, many are angered by migrants entering the country illegally — specifically the sight of people, often escaping war zones such as Afghanistan and Sudan, arriving on British shores in inflatable boats after making the dangerous journey across the English Channel.
Adjective
-
Other students were also outraged, Rudeseal said.
-
The death of Kohen Wiley is the latest in a series of troubling encounters with police that have outraged community members in recent years.
Verb
-
Hasslers, the researchers found, tended to be people who irritated the study respondents but whom the respondents could not escape.
-
But one snafu irritated a sizable portion of the more than 3,000 students gathered at Arie Crown Theater to hear the astronauts discuss their mission.
Cite this Entry
“Riled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riled. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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