as in annoying
causing annoyance
a riling habit that drives his wife crazy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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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Mow At Convenient Times There's nothing quite as annoying as enjoying a peaceful slumber on Saturday morning, only to wake up to the sound of a roaring lawn mower.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
8 June 2025 -
There’s nothing more annoying than a show about waiting for something to happen.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
6 June 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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The Panthers’ illuminating and irritating game defined their full identity.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
10 June 2025
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Absences through injury have been an irritating constant throughout Welbeck’s career.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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To help avoid these frustrating and disappointing situations, travelers should plan to bring along a healthy dose of skepticism on their next trip—and think twice before paying for any offer that sounds too good to be true.—
Jessica Puckett,
Travel + Leisure,
3 June 2025
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All of which is just my way of explaining why fans, who love these stories, might be distraught and might see all the success Martin has had thanks to his unfinished work and the support of his fans, as frustrating.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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The withdrawn teen obsessively draws dark spiders in class and shows a disturbing fixation on news reports of school shootings.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
6 June 2025
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His disturbing legacy drew the attention of filmmaker and former HBO executive Kary Antholis, who had followed the case for decades.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
4 June 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 18 Jun. 2025.
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