1
as in angry
feeling or showing anger some visibly riley people were lined up in the customer service department

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in muddy
having visible particles in liquid suspension take care not to stir up the bottom of the stream when you fill the dipper, or your water will be riley

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for riley
Adjective
  • Abby’s Motivations – Last night, players saw that the show was saying right away that Abby was a Firefly and was angry at Joel for all his murders at the hospital, decimating the entire organization.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • His angry toss of the rosin bag to a spot several feet from the pitcher’s mound during Sunday’s game was an indication of his disappointment.
    David O'Brien, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Ukrainian marine corps’ 34th, 39th and 40th Coastal Defense Brigades—new units largely equipped with light vehicles that are suitable for operations on muddy terrain—anchor Ukrainian defenses in Kherson.
    David Axe, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Ask any gardener: Gardening shoes are a must for messy, wet, or muddy tasks in flower beds, chicken coops, vegetable gardens, or anywhere else your everyday shoes don’t stand a chance.
    Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • And the maddest thing of all is the AI Generator, who wants to marry her!
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Then, using his talents playing the lyre and singing psalms, David grew to be a supportive comfort to the possibly mad King Saul (Ali Suliman) as well as begin a romance with Saul’s daughter, Michal (Indy Lewis).
    Jim Halterman, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • On sale for 36 percent off, it’s made with slash-proof, ballistic nylon fabric along with pickpocket-deterring zipper locks.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The request was granted, and as a result of the subsequent search, detectives confiscated an AR-15-style rifle, a handgun, ammunition, and a ballistic vest from the residence.
    Sean O'Driscoll, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • And the prime minister of Greenland, Mute B. Egede, said in an indignant statement that there would be no meetings between U.S. officials and Greenland’s government.
    Tim Balk, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The album’s a masterpiece of circulatory funk that works your body but whose indignant resignation and few hopeful embers also break your heart.
    Wesley Morris, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Not content, Gibbs-White storms towards the penalty area for the return pass, but ends up furious with his team-mate, whose shot is blocked.
    Thom Harris, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The ex-girlfriend was hurt, and my roommate who is having the affair is furious with me.
    Philip Galanes, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Riley.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riley. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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