as in annoying
causing annoyance
a riling habit that drives his wife crazy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bothering
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 angering
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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of riling
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
Isaacman made the comments while endorsing a proposal to halve NASA's science budget, riling some astronomers.
—
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Some clips showed owls and ravens attacking the couple, especially riling up fans.
—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
His players were shown footage of the tackle, calculatedly riling up their ire for next week.
—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Despite losing to Georgia in the conference championship game, DeBoer's Crimson Tide earned one of this year's 12 CFP spots, potentially riling up coaches and fans from other programs who felt their teams got snubbed.
—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
Officials like Bongino are in the awkward position of backtracking after years of highlighting the case and lobbying for the release of information from the sidelines — riling up their viewers and supporters in the process.
—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
8 July 2025
Verb
McCarty said, riling up the crowd.
—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
Isaacman made the comments while endorsing a proposal to halve NASA's science budget, riling some astronomers.
—
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Some clips showed owls and ravens attacking the couple, especially riling up fans.
—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
His players were shown footage of the tackle, calculatedly riling up their ire for next week.
—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Despite losing to Georgia in the conference championship game, DeBoer's Crimson Tide earned one of this year's 12 CFP spots, potentially riling up coaches and fans from other programs who felt their teams got snubbed.
—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
Officials like Bongino are in the awkward position of backtracking after years of highlighting the case and lobbying for the release of information from the sidelines — riling up their viewers and supporters in the process.
—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
8 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riling
Adjective
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Scam texts are annoying for everyone.
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Others have blamed everything from feminism and long work commutes to annoying kiddy car seats.
Verb
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That shift may help explain why some couples notice their partner’s scent bothering them more during periods of conflict.
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The chest pain that had been bothering her finally let up.
Verb
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Younger, more far left candidates across the nation, from California to Indiana, are running this year to try and oust older, longtime congressional incumbents — angering Democratic Party leaders.
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But Schnur said the governor likely also has concerns about angering one of his biggest backers.
Adjective
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Greenberg tried his best to ignore an irritating ankle injury that had plagued him the last couple of weeks and grimaced under the hazy sunlight as the pitcher, probably 20 or more years his junior, stared him down.
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The hypoallergenic face serum is free from potentially irritating ingredients, such as parabens and synthetic fragrances, too.
Verb
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The necessity of the trip at all is what's been bugging me.
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His doctor had been bugging him for years to get a colonoscopy because of his age, but Driggers declined.
Verb
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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.
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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.
Adjective
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If this World Cup has been trying for Iran, it’s been frustrating for Belgium, which hasn’t scored a goal of its own.
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The Netherlands are coming off a frustrating 2-2 draw against Japan and desperately need a win to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Verb
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Biden weaponized Law Enforcement against his political opponent, while also persecuting many other innocent people.
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Jack Hayford, the founder of the King’s University, in Texas, claimed that the film was persecuting Christians, who only wanted to be treated equally.
Cite this Entry
“Riling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riling. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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