rile

[rahyl]

verb (used with object)

Chiefly Northern and North Midland U.S.

riled, riling 

1. to irritate or vex.

   Synonyms: nettle, chafe, provoke, annoy, irk

2. to roil (water or the like).

rile

/ raɪl /

verb

1. to annoy or anger; irritate

2. to stir up or agitate (water, etc); roil or make turbid

Word History and Origins

Origin of rile¹

First recorded in 1815–25; variant of roil

Word History and Origins

Origin of rile¹

C19: variant of _roil

Example Sentences

Whatever you wish to call it - and let's stick with Bazball, because it seems to rile the Aussies - England's fresh approach has made them a force in Test cricket once more.

Read more on BBC

While Patel’s travel has become a source of gossip within the bureau, his firings in particular have riled the broader workforce.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Microdrama production companies are increasingly harnessing AI to replace actors and screenwriters with algorithms, raising concerns about job losses and copyright infringement that have riled creative industries globally.

Read more on Barron's

The “overtourism” that irks residents of Venice and Barcelona is also riling locals in Osaka and Kyoto, where kimono-clad visitors clog the streets and temples to secure their snapshots for social media.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The 20-year-old rapper ian draws millions of listeners and has managed to rile up the internet in a way few rappers do.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• annoy 
• bother 
• disturb 
• exasperate 
• gall 
• inflame 
• irk 
• irritate 
• peeve 
• provoke 
• roil 
• vex