rile

verb

ˈrī(-ə)l How to pronounce rile (audio)
Definition of rilenext
1
as in to annoy
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to infuriate
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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rile different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of rile are exasperate, irritate, nettle, peeve, and provoke. While all these words mean "to excite a feeling of anger or annoyance," rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.

the new work schedules riled the employees

When would exasperate be a good substitute for rile?

In some situations, the words exasperate and rile are roughly equivalent. However, exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.

his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions

When is it sensible to use irritate instead of rile?

Although the words irritate and rile have much in common, irritate implies an often gradual arousing of angry feelings that may range from mere impatience to rage.

constant nagging that irritated me greatly

When is nettle a more appropriate choice than rile?

The words nettle and rile are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.

your pompous attitude nettled several people

When can peeve be used instead of rile?

While the synonyms peeve and rile are close in meaning, peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.

a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie

When could provoke be used to replace rile?

The synonyms provoke and rile are sometimes interchangeable, but provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.

remarks made solely to provoke her

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 rile Emery was riled by suggestions Villa’s structure suffered in the second half. — Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025 The 2025 Grammy Awards were filled with moments almost guaranteed to get MAGA nation riled up, as artists used their platforms to speak up about trans rights, health care, immigration, and DEI initiatives. — Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 3 Feb. 2025 The generally tame statement was still enough to rile up the likes of Megyn Kelly, who used it as another opportunity to stoke the right-wing backlash to the film. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025 The chest-thumping celebrations in the White House and the antics of its pet-project DOGE intersected to rile up Democrats, who have been trying to defend all corners of the federal cogs. — Philip Elliott, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rile
  1. annoy
  2. infuriate
  3. irritate
  4. anger
  5. bother
  6. enrage
  7. persecute
  8. bug
Verb
  • Waltz now has a bunch of top officials, and their teams, who are annoyed at him for drawing bad publicity.
    — Marc Caputo, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025
  • However, standing in the middle of a road to capture the Eiffel Tower in the background is not only unsafe but can also annoy locals.
    — Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of annoy
Verb
  • Trump's economic war and annexation threats have infuriated Canadians.
    — arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The show also features breakout performances from Isa Briones, who plays the infuriating Dr. Trinity Santos, Gerran Howell as the bumbling student doctor Dennis Whitaker, and Taylor Dearden as the sensitive and quirky Dr. Melissa King.
    — Sam Reed, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of infuriate
Verb
  • First, coffee is significantly more acidic than matcha, which can irritate some people's stomachs or cause heartburn.
    — Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 26 Mar. 2025
  • She’s disillusioned with her boyfriend and irritated by her mother.
    — Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 25 Mar. 2025
Definition of irritate
Verb
  • President Trump’s remarks about Canada becoming the 51st state have greatly angered Canadians.
    — Hersh Shefrin, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The craft retailer, which already closed 800 stores across the U.S. in February, has consumers angered by the terms and conditions of their going-out-of-business sales.
    — Angel Saunders, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of anger
Verb
  • Chicago Bears - Will Campbell, OL, LSU Will Campbell has fallen a bit due to his shorter arm length, but that likely won't bother Ben Johnson.
    — Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Because Congress never bothered to write a law to establish it.
    — Jay Cost, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of bother
Verb
  • The gallery owner, Mariana, is both despondent and enraged.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Justice denied Problems exposed in the unit have enraged victims and frustrated prosecutors and judges.
    — Donna McGuire, Ian Cummings, and Glenn E. Rice, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2025
Definition of enrage
Verb
  • At least two of them fled Venezuela in part because Tren de Aragua was persecuting them, according to the lawsuit.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Yoon’s conservative supporters have latched on to his arguments as well as his unsubstantiated claims of election fraud, strongly echoing the dynamic between President Donald Trump and supporters who say he has been wrongly persecuted by a corrupt judicial system.
    — Beomsu Jo, NBC News, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of persecute
Verb
  • Ferrell bugs his eyes out and sighs a series of increasingly desperate spit-takes, but this project was probably doomed from the get-go.
    — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
  • The movie's famous final scene sees Hackman's character playing the saxophone after his paranoia has led him to destroy his entire apartment to see if it was bugged.
    — Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of bug

Browse Nearby Words

rig (up)
rile
riled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rile. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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