Riling — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective /ˈrī(-ə)l/

Meaning & Definition of Riling

Riling (verb)

  1. to make agitated and angry, upset
  2. roil

Riling (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing annoyance

    "a riling habit that drives his wife crazy"

    similar: abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, galling, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, nettling, peeving, pesky, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, pesty, plaguey, rankling, rebarbative, vexatious, vexing
    related: burdensome, discomforting, displeasing, disquieting, distressing, importunate, importune, inconveniencing, angering, enraging, infuriating, brattish, bratty, mischievous, offensive, troublesome, upsetting, distractive, painful, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, worrisome, biting, grating, jangling, jarring, spiny, thorny
    near: delightful, pleasing

Riling (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: aggravating, annoying, bothering, bugging, burning (up), chafing, eating, exasperating, frosting, galling, getting, grating, griping, hacking (off), irking, irritating, itching, narking (British), nettling, peeving, persecuting, piquing, putting out, rasping, ruffling, spiting, vexing, getting one's goat, getting on one's nerves, getting to, rubbing the wrong way, setting one's teeth on edge, sticking in one's craw, wearing on
    related: hassling, heckling, nagging, inflaming, provoking, rousing, badgering, baiting, bullyragging, deviling, hagriding, harassing, harrying, pestering, plaguing, teasing, angering, antagonizing, enraging, incensing, infuriating, maddening, rankling, roiling, agitating, discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, exercising, freaking (out), fretting, perturbing, undoing, unhinging, unsettling, upsetting, worrying, affronting, insulting, miffing, offending, outraging
    near: appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, obliging, pacifying, placating, propitiating, delighting, gladdening, gratifying, pleasing, satisfying, assuring, cheering, comforting, consoling, contenting, quieting, reassuring, solacing, soothing

  2. to make angry

    "her husband isn't easily riled, but once he is, he stays that way for days"

    similar: angering, enraging, incensing, inflaming, infuriating, iring, maddening, madding, outraging, rankling, roiling, steaming up, ticking off, getting one's goat, rubbing the wrong way
    related: affronting, aggravating, annoying, burning (up), crossing, exasperating, getting, huffing, irritating, miffing, nettling, offending, peeving, piquing, provoking, putting out, ruffling, vexing, antagonizing, embittering, envenoming
    opposite: delighting, gratifying, pleasing
    near: allaying, assuaging, relieving, comforting, consoling, soothing, appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, pacifying, placating, calming, lulling, quieting, settling, beguiling, bewitching, captivating, charming, disarming, enchanting

Related Entry: Rile (verb)

Rile is a different word from Riling. The synonyms below are for rile, not for riling.

  1. 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"

    similar: aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat, exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, irritate, itch, nark (British), nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, ruffle, spite, vex, get one's goat, get on one's nerves, get to, rub the wrong way, set one's teeth on edge, stick in one's craw, wear on
    related: hassle, heckle, nag, inflame, provoke, rouse, badger, bait, bullyrag, devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease, anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil, agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry, affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage
    near: appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate, delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy, assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe

  2. to make angry

    "her husband isn't easily riled, but once he is, he stays that way for days"

    similar: anger, enrage, incense, inflame, infuriate, ire, mad, madden, outrage, rankle, roil, steam up, tick off, get one's goat, rub the wrong way
    related: affront, aggravate, annoy, burn (up), cross, exasperate, get, huff, irritate, miff, nettle, offend, peeve, pique, provoke, put out, ruffle, vex, antagonize, embitter, envenom
    opposite: delight, gratify, please
    near: allay, assuage, relieve, comfort, console, soothe, appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, calm, lull, quiet, settle, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, disarm, enchant

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Riling

The most common words with a similar meaning to Riling:

British: narking
abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, galling, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, nettling, peeving, pesky, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, pesty, plaguey, rankling, rebarbative, vexatious, vexing, bothering, bugging, burning (up), eating, frosting, getting, grating, griping, hacking (off), irking, itching, persecuting, piquing, putting out

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Riling

Words with the opposite meaning of Riling:

delighting, gratifying, pleasing

Related Words for Riling

burdensome, discomforting, displeasing, disquieting, distressing, importunate, importune, inconveniencing, brattish, bratty, mischievous, offensive, troublesome, upsetting, distractive, painful, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, worrisome, biting, jangling, jarring, spiny, thorny, hassling, heckling, nagging, provoking

Near Antonyms of Riling

delightful, appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, obliging, pacifying, placating, propitiating, gladdening, satisfying, assuring, cheering, comforting, consoling, contenting, quieting, reassuring, solacing, soothing, allaying, assuaging, relieving, calming, lulling, settling, beguiling, bewitching, captivating, charming, disarming

Word Forms of Riling

Inflections: riled

Origin & Etymology of Riling

variant of roil

First known use: 1724

Frequently Asked Questions about Riling

What does "Riling" mean?

"Riling" means to make agitated and angry, upset. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to make agitated and angry, upset. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Riling"?

Other words for "Riling" include abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing and exasperating. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Riling" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Riling"?

There are 122 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Riling". Common alternatives include abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating and galling.

What is the opposite of "Riling"?

Antonyms of "Riling" include delighting, gratifying and pleasing. Near antonyms include delightful, appeasing, conciliating and mollifying.

How do you use "Riling" in a sentence?

Examples of "Riling" in a sentence: "a riling habit that drives his wife crazy"; "one sure way to rile me is to keep yelling for me"; "her husband isn't easily riled, but once he is, he stays that way for days".

Is "Riling" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Riling" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Riling"?

"Riling" is pronounced /ˈrī(-ə)l/.

What is the origin of the word "Riling"?

"Riling" comes from variant of roil. First known use: 1724.