riling 1 of 2

adjective

as in annoying
causing annoyance a riling habit that drives his wife crazy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

riling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of rile
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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of riling
Adjective
The only thing more riling than a referee’s interference in a sports event is a politician’s. — Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026
Verb
Which is why, in a bit of an odd turn of events, Sumrall riling up some SEC drama might just be valuable. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026 Trips included a May 2025 visit to Bahrain and Israel and a December 2025 trip to Jordan, Abu Dhabi and Qatar as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations were riling Minneapolis. — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2026 The proposal, which is currently out to public consultation, appears to be riling everyone from ordinary pub-goers to residents of 10 Downing Street. — Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026 Mbappé, who scored on a penalty in the 70th minute, was riling up the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia following France’s 1-0 victory in the Round of 16. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026 Sediment in the water is an issue that is riling up both residents and environmentalists. — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2026 McCarty said, riling up the crowd. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026 Isaacman made the comments while endorsing a proposal to halve NASA's science budget, riling some astronomers. — CBS News, 4 May 2026 Some clips showed owls and ravens attacking the couple, especially riling up fans. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riling
  1. annoying
  2. bothering
  3. angering
  4. irritating
  5. bugging
  6. infuriating
  7. frustrating
  8. persecuting
Adjective
  • McCartney said of his note to Mendes about the height imbalance, wondering how the director will rectify this annoying, historic aberration.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Something in your routine, schedule, or workload may feel disproportionately annoying or demanding, especially if too many little things pile up at once.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of annoying
Verb
  • His work is autobiographical and based on whatever has been bothering him that year.
    — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • For example, companies that benefit from customers not bothering to cancel subscriptions, compare prices, or search for better deals have taken a beating in recent weeks.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of bothering
Verb
  • The widespread use of arrests, tear gas and riot-control weapons against teenagers is fueling defiance and angering some parents and teachers.
    — NICOLAS GARRIGA, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Spain is hard-hit due to small rental market The housing crunch has been simmering for years in Spain, eating into household budgets and angering voters.
    — Joseph Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of angering
Adjective
  • For home-office equipment, networking hardware, 3D printers, and other devices where unexpected shutdowns are costly or irritating, the Elite 300 can serve a dual purpose rather than sit unused until the next blackout.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
  • That tiny gesture may explain why secret copying can feel especially irritating.
    — Alesandra Dubin, Glamour, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of irritating
Verb
  • However, in-flight cabin etiquette is only one part of what’s bugging travelers this summer.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The necessity of the trip at all is what's been bugging me.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 12 June 2026
Definition of bugging
Verb
  • Cummings said that in January 2021, a friend of Birchmore’s called Stoughton police and told a dispatcher about the illicit relationship, infuriating Farwell.
    — Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 9 Oct. 2026
  • His laserlike focus on the particulars of the story doesn’t leave much room for extrapolation; even the infuriating case of bureaucratic overreach that the film depicts can easily be understood, and perhaps even defended, as an aberration.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of infuriating
Adjective
  • Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel didn’t shy away from discussing his job security Thursday amid a frustrating 0-5 start to the season.
    — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Wednesday's rain made for a frustrating day for hundreds of travelers at Denver International Airport, including some football fans arriving for Thursday night's Broncos game.
    — Tori Mason, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of frustrating
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
Definition of persecuting

Browse Nearby Words

riley
riling
rill
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Cite this Entry

“Riling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riling. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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