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
  • Biggest of thanks to Sana, Brad, Kevin, Lou, Aaron, Justin, Charlie, Vincent, Deb, Jon and the whole mad circus.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Anyone who is mad about that needs to look at life from a higher perspective.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 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
  • At that point, a furious Boone earned himself an ejection from home plate ump Adam Beck, whose zone the manager already had complaints about.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Davis had 23 points at Viejas Arena in a game the Spartans led by 21 before a furious Aztecs rally produced for an improbable 71-68 victory.
    Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 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 25 Apr. 2025.

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