maddening

1 of 2

adjective

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

maddening

2 of 2

present participle of madden

Synonyms of maddening

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Adjective

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Examples of maddening in a Sentence

Adjective He has a maddening habit of interrupting other people. She shows a maddening inability to control her children.
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Adjective
As an emergency physician, what is so maddening about a case like hers is that the medicine is not mysterious. — Dara Kass, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026 Capable of flashes of brilliance, but with maddening periods of inconsistency. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 Little did the fans who instantly hurried to social media to voice their angst know their afternoon would end with a far more maddening play. — Mike Jones, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2026 Companies have turned efforts to sign up — and maddening cancellations — into a booming business, one supercharged by the pandemic, when millions of customers shifted their shopping online. — Lindsay Owens, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for maddening

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1743, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of maddening was circa 1743

Rhymes for maddening

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Browse Nearby Words

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maddening
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Cite this Entry

“Maddening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maddening. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

maddening

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