Rile

In Southern and Appalachian speech, "rile" means to irritate, anger, or stir up. It’s the everyday way folks say "annoy," especially in the phrase "rile up."

#SouthernWords #Appalachia #Southern

synonyms: annoy, aggravate, stir up, upset

Hillbilly Dude Says...

If you're out in the country, you're bound to hear somebody use 'riled' or 'rile up,' it's a common one.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

If you're out in the country, you're bound to hear somebody use 'riled' or 'rile up,' it's a common one.

Pronunciation

[RAHL] or [RAH-yul]
/raɪl/

Meaning & Usage

- To irritate, anger, or stir to agitation (verb)

Mae:

Don’t rile him up, he’s had a long day.

Earl:

I didn’t say nothin’-he just stays riled.

variations: rile up, riled, riled up

Origin and Etymology

A Southern and South Midland variant of "roil," both meaning "to make muddy or stir up." Early American settlers extended it metaphorically to emotions-someone "riled" is stirred or agitated inside. Recorded in U.S. dialect since the early 1800s, especially across the Appalachian and Deep South regions.

Usage Notes

Common throughout the South and Appalachia, but less so in Northern or Western speech.
Rile up - to provoke anger or excitement ("Don’t rile him up again").
Riled up - the resulting state of irritation or agitation.
Outside the South, "rile" is often recognized but sounds rustic or old-fashioned.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Is "rile" a real word or slang?

It’s a real regional verb-documented in American English since the 1800s and still used naturally in the South.

Is it related to "roil"?

Yes. "Rile" likely evolved from "roil," meaning "to stir up sediment," and later took on the emotional sense "to stir up anger."

What’s the difference between "rile up" and "riled up"?

"Rile up" is the action-to make someone angry. "Riled up" is the result-already angry or agitated. See Riled Up.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 16). Rile. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/rile
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Rile." HillbillySlang.com, 16 Oct. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/rile.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Rile." HillbillySlang.com. October 16, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/rile.