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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maddening
Adam B. Vary, Variety, 26 Apr. 2025
What’s maddening is Gunn’s inability to let his characters sit in discomfort.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 11 July 2025
Andreoli’s patients usually find that doing so reduces swelling, redness, and that maddening desire to scratch.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 8 July 2025
What makes this attack especially maddening is that the suspect should not have been in the country in the first place.
—The Editors, National Review, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for maddening
Adjective
Underscoring just how maddening marketing can be today, however, other panelists emphasized the dangers of getting too granularly focused on servicing specific fandoms.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 26 Apr. 2025
What’s maddening is Gunn’s inability to let his characters sit in discomfort.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 11 July 2025
Andreoli’s patients usually find that doing so reduces swelling, redness, and that maddening desire to scratch.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 8 July 2025
What makes this attack especially maddening is that the suspect should not have been in the country in the first place.
—The Editors, National Review, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for maddening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maddening
Adjective
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But the most frustrating point among them is the argument shared by several critics and a wider collection of the audience that the film doesn’t have a deeper meaning and is ultimately about nothing.—
Richard Newby,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Aug. 2025
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With airport handlers worldwide managing 26 million bags each year, few travel inconveniences are more frustrating than arriving without your luggage.—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Don’t come over here disturbing my peace if mahogany queens aren’t your preferred type.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
10 Apr. 2025
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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
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Electric staplers may also include bonus features like a refill indicator light, high-volume stapling and jam-free staple pathways for reducing annoying backups.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Aug. 2025
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The 65-inch Sony Bravia 8 OLED TV has a sleek and minimalist design that really stands out, and its black levels are flawless, resulting in no annoying light bloom at all.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
6 Aug. 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
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The woman’s walk was rushed and uptight, making that sound even more irritating.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
6 Aug. 2025
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The call was impersonal, irritating, and to Borchardt, quite lazy.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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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
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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 22 Aug. 2025.
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