as in bothering
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 ruffling
The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization quickly followed suit, shelving the project that had been in the works for over a decade and ruffling feathers at the state level and among business leaders.
—
Nicholas Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2026
At times, Musk’s avoidance tactics shut down lines of questioning, ruffling Savitt’s feathers.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2026
Below, during a conversation with THR, Cronin also discusses his unique ability to deliver gore without ruffling the MPA’s feathers.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2026
When the weather is warm, the best tables are those in the meditative interior courtyard open to blue sky, drifting clouds and the breeze ruffling sudare screens.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Mar. 2026
But the second set featured the sport’s ultimate heel ruffling feathers once again, when Medvedev won a point on a controversial hindrance call.
—Ava Wallace, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Her jokes were tight and sharp, and pushed the envelope just enough to be funny without truly ruffling any feathers.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 11 Jan. 2026
The bricks under my fingers, a breeze ruffling my hair.
—CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
The critique appears to have drawn support from most viewers, even if ruffling the feathers of others.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
Nicholas Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2026
At times, Musk’s avoidance tactics shut down lines of questioning, ruffling Savitt’s feathers.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2026
Below, during a conversation with THR, Cronin also discusses his unique ability to deliver gore without ruffling the MPA’s feathers.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2026
When the weather is warm, the best tables are those in the meditative interior courtyard open to blue sky, drifting clouds and the breeze ruffling sudare screens.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Mar. 2026
But the second set featured the sport’s ultimate heel ruffling feathers once again, when Medvedev won a point on a controversial hindrance call.
—Ava Wallace, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Her jokes were tight and sharp, and pushed the envelope just enough to be funny without truly ruffling any feathers.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 11 Jan. 2026
The bricks under my fingers, a breeze ruffling my hair.
—CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
The critique appears to have drawn support from most viewers, even if ruffling the feathers of others.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruffling
Verb
-
Instead, the reviews were largely muted, with analysts not bothering to adjust their revenue estimates for 2027 or 2028, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
-
That appears to be bothering people, as the broadcast noted some pointed conversations among the Spanish team during the hydration break.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Weird; annoying even – but the floaters did not seem urgent.—
Peter Ubel,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
My biggest concern about adding a tracking device around Mya’s neck was annoying her or creating disruption.—
Tyler Hayes,
PC Magazine,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The necessity of the trip at all is what's been bugging me.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
-
His doctor had been bugging him for years to get a colonoscopy because of his age, but Driggers declined.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
This behavior isn’t just irritating or upsetting.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
-
How to avoid chiggers Aside from the potential risk of anaphylactic allergy and severe illness, chiggers are, well, irritating.—
Eva Flowe
June 11,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Biden weaponized Law Enforcement against his political opponent, while also persecuting many other innocent people.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
-
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.—
Isaac Butler,
New Yorker,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Tim Hill plunked pinch-hitter Jacob Gonzalez and Tristan Peters with pitches before getting an out.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
-
But the Royals produced an avalanche of offense, with every starter getting into the act.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
He was removed from last Sunday’s game against the Mets after aggravating his hamstring running out a single.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 June 2026
-
Koeninger, a Tennessee signee, was noticeably missing from the batting order after aggravating a left-hand injury last week.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruffling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruffling. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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