as in annoying
causing annoyance
a riling habit that drives his wife crazy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riling
Adjective
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But if Hereditary and Midsommar got under the skin with genuinely scary storytelling and startling imagery and Beau is Afraid was equal parts squirmy and maddening, Eddington is just annoying and empty.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2025 -
Really, there’s these human traffic jams, so it’s become quite annoying.—
Ari Daniel,
Smithsonian Magazine,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Jan. 2025
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The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The prequel will introduce his family and girlfriend and the events that led up to his victory, notorious for angering the Capitol elite.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA TODAY,
12 Mar. 2025
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Reports suggest that some Republican lawmakers are frustrated with Musk’s bluster and that the DOGE approach to slashing the federal bureaucracy is angering constituents and making lawmakers less popular in their districts.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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For some people, double cleansing may be too irritating.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
15 May 2025
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Not just the threat-of-extinction stuff, which includes Bassett’s POTUS debating which American city to blow up as a preemptive gesture, but by its own irritating God’s-eye omniscience that rarely allows the suspense to spool out in the present.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson spoke about the frustrating Game 2 loss, revealing a big regret that led to the defeat.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
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Technical glitches and changing rules are frustrating borrowers trying to plan.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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Proponents have long invoked civil rights language to promote vouchers, a disturbing rhetorical choice given vouchers originated as a tool for southern white parents to avoid the Supreme Court's desegregation order in Brown v. Board of Education.—
Kevin Sabet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
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Actress Isabella Rossellini reflects on the film’s disturbing material and autobiographical elements while resisting reductive interpretations.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2025
Verb
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According to Yau, those with acne-prone skin should reach for a stainless steel gua sha—unlike natural stone, stainless steel is non-porous and anti-bacterial, preventing unwanted breakouts and aggravating easily congested skin.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
13 Mar. 2025
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Following his final round, the two-time major champion detailed surviving the weekend without aggravating his rib injury.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
9 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Riling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riling. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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