as in bothering
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
the stream of minor complaints finally ruffled him into snapping, "If you don't like the way I'm doing it, do it yourself!"
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Recent Examples of ruffling
Below, during a conversation with THR, Cronin also discusses his unique ability to deliver gore without ruffling the MPA’s feathers.
—
Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2026
When the weather is warm, the best tables are those in the meditative interior courtyard open to blue sky, drifting clouds and the breeze ruffling sudare screens.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Mar. 2026
But the second set featured the sport’s ultimate heel ruffling feathers once again, when Medvedev won a point on a controversial hindrance call.
—Ava Wallace, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Her jokes were tight and sharp, and pushed the envelope just enough to be funny without truly ruffling any feathers.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 11 Jan. 2026
The bricks under my fingers, a breeze ruffling my hair.
—CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
The critique appears to have drawn support from most viewers, even if ruffling the feathers of others.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
Older girls occasionally cornered me on the playground, ruffling my hair and calling me silly names.
—Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
This is still a Hollywood spectacle, complete with explosions and celebrities and deep-cut needle drops, slick enough to keep Paramount happy without ruffling in-house censors’ feathers yet cool enough to not seem like an assembly-line product.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2026
When the weather is warm, the best tables are those in the meditative interior courtyard open to blue sky, drifting clouds and the breeze ruffling sudare screens.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Mar. 2026
But the second set featured the sport’s ultimate heel ruffling feathers once again, when Medvedev won a point on a controversial hindrance call.
—Ava Wallace, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Her jokes were tight and sharp, and pushed the envelope just enough to be funny without truly ruffling any feathers.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 11 Jan. 2026
The bricks under my fingers, a breeze ruffling my hair.
—CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
The critique appears to have drawn support from most viewers, even if ruffling the feathers of others.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
Older girls occasionally cornered me on the playground, ruffling my hair and calling me silly names.
—Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
This is still a Hollywood spectacle, complete with explosions and celebrities and deep-cut needle drops, slick enough to keep Paramount happy without ruffling in-house censors’ feathers yet cool enough to not seem like an assembly-line product.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruffling
Verb
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Yusei Kikuchi said throwing fastballs was bothering him again, so the Los Angeles Angels pitcher left Wednesday's 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Chicago White Sox after two innings with left shoulder tightness.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Please order Keegan to make a pre-bathroom coffee for both of us for one week and then stop bothering me about it.—
John Hodgman,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sometimes, rage bait can be relatively harmless – a recipe that contains disgusting food combinations or someone annoying their pet, partner or sibling.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
1 Dec. 2025
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But what’s been annoying me even more is that these women should have been trained by producers to start recording on their own cell phones if drama starts to unfold after cameras go down.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
12 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Although pest control companies offer lethal solutions such as carpenter bee traps or chemical treatments, the best way to keep carpenter bees from bugging you is using stained, sealed, varnished or treated wood in building projects.—
Sarah Linn
April 24,
Sacbee.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
So, all the things people were yelling about with Southwest weren’t bugging me.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Beneficial for the Atlantic but irritating to many beachgoers – sargassum is set to pile up across South Florida’s beaches again this summer.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Sure, there are worse problems to have in life, but there’s no denying that fruit flies are irritating.—
Christine Fiorentino,
Southern Living,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Saddam towered over Iraq’s political regime for nearly 30 years, plunging the country into multiple destructive wars, persecuting his own citizens and inflicting widespread trauma and suffering.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
24 Apr. 2026
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The order also accused the Cuban government of persecuting political opponents, suppressing free speech and the press, and committing other human rights violations—actions that have been documented by human rights organizations over the years.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Plane tickets are getting pricier After jumping to $209 a barrel in early April, the global price of jet fuel eased last week to around $179, still well above the roughly $99 at the end of February.—
Mae Anderson,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
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Since getting sober, Holland's life has been a whirlwind.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors cited Hunter’s past homicide convictions as aggravating factors to persuade the jury to recommend his execution.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Apr. 2026
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My ila facial was pure joy—no painful extraction or aggravating scrubs here.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruffling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruffling. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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