as in annoyed
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
the stream of minor complaints finally ruffled him into snapping, "If you don't like the way I'm doing it, do it yourself!"
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Recent Examples of ruffled
Zoë Kravitz appeared at the Caught Stealing photocall in London wearing a pale yellow dress with delicate embroidery and ruffled short sleeves.
—
Catherine Santino, People.com, 19 Aug. 2025
The site’s anxious foreman, Horn (Matt Dillon), protected behind the perimeter fence, yet ruffled by Albouny’s defiance and unflappability, is clearly hiding a terrible truth from the man.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
Zimmerman's 9-year-old son Grant and other young trainers made sure their feathers wouldn't be ruffled by the spotlight.
—Molly Nagle, ABC News, 25 Nov. 2024
The decision to go with a site across the bay, rather than at stadiums in Clearwater or Dunedin, ruffled some Pinellas County feathers.
—Kathryn Varn, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ruffled
Catherine Santino, People.com, 19 Aug. 2025
The site’s anxious foreman, Horn (Matt Dillon), protected behind the perimeter fence, yet ruffled by Albouny’s defiance and unflappability, is clearly hiding a terrible truth from the man.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
Zimmerman's 9-year-old son Grant and other young trainers made sure their feathers wouldn't be ruffled by the spotlight.
—Molly Nagle, ABC News, 25 Nov. 2024
The decision to go with a site across the bay, rather than at stadiums in Clearwater or Dunedin, ruffled some Pinellas County feathers.
—Kathryn Varn, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ruffled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruffled
Verb
-
Keanu, still annoyed from the veto ceremony, talked to Ava Pearl in the HOH room and called Rachel a liar.—
David Wysong,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Sep. 2025
-
This thrilled her base—and annoyed many casual listeners.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In fact, the aliens take a back seat to the human interactions, which irritated some viewers eager to see actual aliens in a show about an extraterrestrial invasion.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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His not winning it was considered a failure, and that bugged him.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
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The characters muse about the extreme likelihood that their apartments have been bugged.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This may cost me popularity points, but I’ve never been bothered that some conferences play eight while others play nine.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
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Plants are heat and drought tolerant once established and are not bothered by deer, insects, or disease pests.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
His deportation to El Salvador violated a 2019 court order that protected him from being deported to his home country because of concerns that he’d be persecuted by violent gangs.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
25 Aug. 2025
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Criminals are to be persecuted.—
Tommy Trenchard,
NPR,
23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruffled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruffled. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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