irritate implies an often gradual arousing of angry feelings that may range from mere impatience to rage.
constant nagging that irritated me greatly
exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.
his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions
nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.
your pompous attitude nettled several people
provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.
remarks made solely to provoke her
rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.
the new work schedules riled the employees
peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.
a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie
Example Sentences
Her comments riled the professor. one sure way to rile me is to keep yelling for me
Recent Examples on the WebThe sight of it was enough to rile up Stranger Things fans. Jacqueline Saguin, Good Housekeeping, 3 Sep. 2022 Her character, too, is barely shaded; even the provocative statements Bobbi lobs like grenades at dinner parties to rile up her friends lack the necessary kick. Inkoo Kang, Washington Post, 14 May 2022 The Biden administration’s decision to offer a swap for Ms. Griner may rile some of America’s allies, which have held the line in their own hostage situations, including on behalf of the United States.New York Times, 28 July 2022 So is the fact that Trump can no longer use Twitter to rile up his supporters with incendiary falsehoods. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 23 July 2022 The pivot is raising alarm about Meta’s priorities and about how some might exploit the world’s most popular social media platforms to spread misleading claims, launch fake accounts and rile up partisan extremists. Amanda Seitz, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2022 The pivot is raising alarm about Meta’s priorities and about how some might exploit the world’s most popular social media platforms to spread misleading claims, launch fake accounts and rile up partisan extremists. Scott Bauer, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Aug. 2022 This conversation covers how silence can rile, the mariachi space opera staged by a bunch of Texas students and what a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer manages to make sound look like.Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2022 Vega, meanwhile, has touted her get-out-the-vote work for Youngkin among Hispanic voters, while angling to put prominent far-right figures in her corner to rile up the base. Meagan Flynn, Washington Post, 18 June 2022 See More