as in annoying
causing annoyance
a riling habit that drives his wife crazy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of riling
Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Jaxson de Ville is riling up supporters via pub crawl.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Officials like Bongino are in the awkward position of backtracking after years of highlighting the case and lobbying for the release of information from the sidelines — riling up their viewers and supporters in the process.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 8 July 2025
Verb
Despite losing to Georgia in the conference championship game, DeBoer's Crimson Tide earned one of this year's 12 CFP spots, potentially riling up coaches and fans from other programs who felt their teams got snubbed.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for riling
Adjective
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Meynecke said his footage suggested the whales found their hangers-on annoying.—
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Thankfully, the best faux garlands offer the look and oftentimes feel of the real thing without the sticky sap or annoying cleanup.—
Verb
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Ibrahim keeps bothering me endlessly, touching my leg and thigh.—
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Ask her if anything is bothering her.—
Verb
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The board instead approved a resolution to reexamine current campus spaces, angering some parents.—
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Meanwhile another son, Eduardo, lobbied US officials to impose tariffs on Brazil in response to the verdict, angering many back home.—
Adjective
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What an irritating phrase, Helen thinks.—
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Many of us suffer from skin problems, chapped lips, or an irritating cough when the air is too dry.—
Verb
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That thing’s been bugging on him for a while.—
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Then Julian dropped one of his wireless earbuds into Olympia’s purse, using it as a crude bugging device.—
Verb
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The implications are infuriating.—
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The hosts’ stand-in captain was at his eccentric best, infuriating bowlers and fielders alike.—
Adjective
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For athletes, the C1 solves a frustrating, age-old problem.—
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The reality is that traditional investigative journalism is a frequently boring and frustrating endeavor that takes a lot of time, money, and patience.—
Verb
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Trump has repeatedly alleged that the South African government is actively persecuting white citizens, particularly farmers.—
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The former human-rights lawyer entered on a tourist visa and filed for political asylum in October of that year, claiming the governments that succeeded Correa were persecuting him.—
Cite this Entry
“Riling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riling. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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