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
Before that, the Rockies — who beat the Dodgers twice in 13 meetings all of last season — chased starter Roki Sasaki from the game in the fifth inning and then ruffled the Dodgers’ relievers.
—
Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
That, and pinning her promotional campaign's $220 million price tag on the boss, may have ruffled a few important feathers at the White House.
—Ted Koppel, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
The flippy ruffled hem alone sets it apart, while a flattering drop waist adds to its airy silhouette.
—Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
Hamilton had a problem with authority, Perez said, and ruffled feathers with the town’s police chief and school board.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruffled
Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
That, and pinning her promotional campaign's $220 million price tag on the boss, may have ruffled a few important feathers at the White House.
—Ted Koppel, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
The flippy ruffled hem alone sets it apart, while a flattering drop waist adds to its airy silhouette.
—Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
Hamilton had a problem with authority, Perez said, and ruffled feathers with the town’s police chief and school board.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruffled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruffled
Verb
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Ever been annoyed after Windows setup that your user folder has a weird name?—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2026
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When people get their interest rate wrong, they get annoyed.—
Sam Sammane,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Some highbrow writers had a right to be irritated by the concept of chick lit, though that wasn’t the fault of chick lit authors themselves.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
4 May 2026
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His last-minute, mixmaster approach to closing out the transit negotiations irritated several participants, but the end result was a fiscally responsible and transformative restructuring of mass transit in northern Illinois.—
David Greising,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Any easy toss-on-and-go dress is always a good idea, especially on hot days when you can’t be bothered to dream up a multi-layered outfit.—
Ali Faccenda,
InStyle,
25 May 2026
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Pletka said Trump is not bothered by gas prices, the upcoming midterms or his approval ratings, in part because of this being his last term.—
Filip Timotija,
The Hill,
23 May 2026
Verb
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When Riley returned to the table, La La told me that his high profile in the city sometimes bugged her, because fans were always interrupting them, even sitting down at their table.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
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Upon arriving at big-league camp this spring, Rojas said the different grip initially bugged him.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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During and shortly after the Spanish Civil War, Franco’s regime, too, persecuted Esperantists for the language’s association with anti–nationalism and anarchism.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
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Blanche, who defended the fund at a congressional hearing this week, has said anyone who believes they’ve been persecuted can apply for compensation regardless of political affiliation.—
Eric Tucker,
Fortune,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruffled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruffled. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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