maddening

American  

[mad-n-ing] / ˈmæd n ɪŋ /

adjective

1. driving to madness or frenzy.

   a maddening thirst.

2. infuriating or exasperating.

   his maddening indifference to my pleas.

3. raging; furious.

   a maddening wind.

---

ˈmaddening British  

/ ˈmædənɪŋ /

adjective

1. serving to send mad

2. extremely annoying; exasperating

---

Other Word Forms

• maddeningly adverb
• maddeningness noun

Etymology

Origin of maddening

First recorded in 1735–45; madden + -ing ²

Example Sentences

He argues that healthcare remains maddeningly stuck at Step 2, as practitioners struggle to connect siloed information.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet here comes Maye, the guileless face behind the most maddening revival in sports.

From The Wall Street Journal

And then he smiled one of his maddening smiles and told the boy their time was up.

From Literature

Gates has assembled a stimulating, illuminating, maddening, saddening, but often inspiring, story of their relations with the world and one another.

From Los Angeles Times

Played when other nations have already started their preparation for the T20 World Cup, this trio of fixtures felt like another maddening quirk of a packed international schedule.

From BBC

Related Words

• aggravating
• annoying
• exasperating
• frustrating
• infuriating
• troubling