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.

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maddening British  

/ ˈmædənɪŋ /

adjective

1. serving to send mad

2. extremely annoying; exasperating

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• maddeningly
  adverb
• maddeningness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of maddening

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

Explanation

Maddening things are extremely irritating: they make you mad. Some drivers have the maddening habit of following other cars too closely on the highway. If something annoys you a lot, it's maddening. You might try to ignore the maddening tune your sister keeps whistling, or decide to leave a movie half way through because of the maddening acting style of its leading man. The adjective maddening comes from the less-common verb madden, "annoy someone," or "drive someone insane." Both words are rooted in the Old English gemædde, "out of one's mind."

Example Sentences

Music is perhaps the purest of these art forms, tapping into our lizard brains to regulate our emotions that are seeking to make sense of this precious yet maddening existence.

From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026

Though much of the episode was drawn up before access to Disney’s massive “Alien” production archive was facilitated, maddening marathons of detail-checking became common.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026

“It’s the most maddening thing,” he told Nguyen.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

That’s especially maddening for Ezekowitz, who doesn’t waste his computing power on upsets that stun exactly nobody.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

Thanks to her maddening pep, though, it may backfire.

From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper

Related Words

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