rile

verb

ˈrī(-ə)l 

riled; riling

transitive verb

1

: to make agitated and angry : upset

2

: roil sense 1

Synonyms

• 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

Choose the Right Synonym for rile

irritate, exasperate, nettle, provoke, rile, peeve mean to excite a feeling of anger or annoyance.

irritate implies an often gradual arousing of angry feelings that may range from mere impatience to rage.

constant nagging that irritated me greatly

exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.

his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions

nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.

your pompous attitude nettled several people

provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.

remarks made solely to provoke her

rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.

the new work schedules riled the employees

peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.

a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie

Examples of rile in a Sentence

Her comments riled the professor.

one sure way to rile me is to keep yelling for me

Recent Examples on the Web

The soldier must choose between steps that work towards a compromise or rile up the quibbling parties. —Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2025

Gaga riled up listeners with some major music releases in 2024. —Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2025

The mysterious sightings riled residents and officials alike, including the president-elect, who suggested shooting them out of the sky. —Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2025

Others compared the sum to the money the Biden administration sent in aid to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022—a topic that has riled up some conservatives in the past few years. —John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

variant of roil

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

rile

verb

ˈrī(ə)l 

riled; riling

1

: to make angry

2

: roil sense 1