maddening

adjective

mad·​den·​ing ˈmad-niŋ How to pronounce maddening (audio)
ˈma-dᵊn-iŋ
1
: tending to craze
2
a
: tending to infuriate
b
: tending to vex : irritating
maddeningly
ˈmad-niŋ-lē How to pronounce maddening (audio)
ˈma-dᵊn-iŋ-
adverb

Examples of maddening in a Sentence

He has a maddening habit of interrupting other people. She shows a maddening inability to control her children.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The absence of privacy was maddening, and the tenants were constantly smashing the cockroaches in the kitchen with their slides. Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 5 May 2025 And then everybody who deals with health insurance has this maddening experience of dealing with more and more paperwork. Michel Martin , Obed Manuel, NPR, 2 May 2025 In an instant, what had been an airtight, scoreless pitchers’ duel devolved into another maddening Twins loss at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. Dan Hayes, New York Times, 1 May 2025 Views of the 47th president, from the ground up Read the rest of the series The randomness of the administration’s action, and its apparent error, is maddening enough. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for maddening

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1743, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of maddening was circa 1743

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Maddening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maddening. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

maddening

adjective
mad·​den·​ing
ˈmad-niŋ,
-ᵊn-iŋ
: that irritates or angers
a maddening habit
maddeningly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on maddening

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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