as in frustrating
causing annoyance
after a few days, she found the monotonous work to be absolutely maddening
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in disturbing
to cause to go insane or as if insane
the endless swarms of mosquitoes all but maddened the explorers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in infuriating
to make angry
her perpetual tardiness maddened her friends to no end
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maddening
Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025
The absence of privacy was maddening, and the tenants were constantly smashing the cockroaches in the kitchen with their slides.
—Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
And then everybody who deals with health insurance has this maddening experience of dealing with more and more paperwork.
—Michel Martin
,
Obed Manuel, NPR, 2 May 2025
In an instant, what had been an airtight, scoreless pitchers’ duel devolved into another maddening Twins loss at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for maddening
Adjective
Or maybe Winston will continue his maddening penchant for interceptions that led the No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft to flame out in Tampa Bay, New Orleans and Cleveland.
—Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025
The absence of privacy was maddening, and the tenants were constantly smashing the cockroaches in the kitchen with their slides.
—Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
And then everybody who deals with health insurance has this maddening experience of dealing with more and more paperwork.
—Michel Martin
,
Obed Manuel, NPR, 2 May 2025
In an instant, what had been an airtight, scoreless pitchers’ duel devolved into another maddening Twins loss at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for maddening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maddening
Adjective
-
All of which is just my way of explaining why fans, who love these stories, might be distraught and might see all the success Martin has had thanks to his unfinished work and the support of his fans, as frustrating.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
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To help avoid these frustrating and disappointing situations, travelers should plan to bring along a healthy dose of skepticism on their next trip—and think twice before paying for any offer that sounds too good to be true.—
Jessica Puckett,
Travel + Leisure,
3 June 2025
Verb
-
Don’t come over here disturbing my peace if mahogany queens aren’t your preferred type.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Crimping is the process of severing a crop at the base and laying it over to create a decomposing thatch/mulch layer for the garden without disturbing the soil.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
While the wrinkling could be slightly annoying for some, given the luxurious feel of the sateen cover, the wrinkling wasn’t a deal breaker.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
30 May 2025
-
For anyone with wide feet who’s used to settling for less in terms of fit, this slip-on style is a breath of fresh air—no annoying break-in period, no hotspots, and no slipping around.—
Lauren Paige Richeson,
Health,
29 May 2025
Verb
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The prequel will introduce his family and girlfriend and the events that led up to his victory, notorious for angering the Capitol elite.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA TODAY,
12 Mar. 2025
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Reports suggest that some Republican lawmakers are frustrated with Musk’s bluster and that the DOGE approach to slashing the federal bureaucracy is angering constituents and making lawmakers less popular in their districts.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
For some people, double cleansing may be too irritating.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
15 May 2025
-
Not just the threat-of-extinction stuff, which includes Bassett’s POTUS debating which American city to blow up as a preemptive gesture, but by its own irritating God’s-eye omniscience that rarely allows the suspense to spool out in the present.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
Verb
-
Occupying and distracting the mind.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
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While most of the acting is wonderful (Wyle is predictably great, but so is just about all of the main cast), some patient-of-the-week players err towards distracting histrionics.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Jan. 2025
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The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Representative Mike Lawler of New York, who has hinted at ambitions for a governor bid in 2026, according to the New York Post, will need to walk a fine line between appeasing his party and not upsetting potential voters in his home state, which could put him at odds with Republicans.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
4 Jan. 2025
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These weeds require control to prevent upsetting the entire turf ecosystem.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
1 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maddening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maddening. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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