1
as in angry
feeling or showing anger
some visibly riley people were lined up in the customer service department
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in muddy
having visible particles in liquid suspension
take care not to stir up the bottom of the stream when you fill the dipper, or your water will be riley
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riley
Adjective
-
Lee remembers her parents sending her to a friend’s house several blocks away when an angry mob showed up at her family’s home to protest Black residents moving into the Fort Worth neighborhood.—
Tesfaye Negussie,
ABC News,
19 June 2026 -
According to the volunteer, Niemann got angry after NOT getting fire ant relief, kicked a white flag, kicked some sand, and then proceeded to launch his iron into the fescue area.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
The battle that follows — a muddy and mean scrum — is even more ghastly, partly for its utter pointlessness.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
-
Western thought tells us that the journey needn’t be muddy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Initially skeptical, Tom becomes increasingly paranoid after a sailor who got lost in the fog essentially goes mad, with his eyes turning white just before dying.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
21 June 2026
-
Relative bargain Please do not be mad at me for relaying this insurance math.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
21 June 2026
Adjective
-
Proper's father also said his son had recently obtained camping gear, food, ballistic plates, a new shotgun, rifle, ammunition, magazines and plate carriers, the FBI said.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
-
Its darkly comic opening chapters describe how the members of the Baltimore Gun Club find their ballistic talents surplus to requirements at the conclusion of the American Civil War (a conflict still ongoing as Verne wrote).—
Neil Oseman,
Space.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Matt Riddle took the opportunity before an enraged Alex Hammerstone could make his mark.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
-
Pratt became enraged at the city’s leadership, accusing Bass of negligence.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Still with indignant nipples, though thankfully mine are hidden beneath said coat.—
Shyla Watson,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
-
Previously, Hungarians opposed to the government were indignant but apathetic.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Sam Sanders grew up in anger; his father, an alcoholic, would come home from work furious, Matt says, beating Sam with his belt.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
-
Seminole commissioners are furious that Lynx wants to hike costs for its mass transit service — even after the county ditched most of its bus routes last January due to a lack of riders.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
Adjective
-
Other students were also outraged, Rudeseal said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
21 June 2026
-
The death of Kohen Wiley is the latest in a series of troubling encounters with police that have outraged community members in recent years.—
TRAVIS LOLLER,
Arkansas Online,
20 June 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Riley.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riley. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
