Phrase guide

raise someone's hackles

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To annoy or anger someone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Every time I hear him talk, he just raises my hackles.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: aggravate, annoy, nettle, rankle, ruffle, sting, antagonize, bother, disgruntle, botherate, bug, get, grate, burn up, bedevil, cheese off, devil, exasperate, frustrate, get up, grotch, hack off, hassle, irk, irritate, jazz, molest, mommick, nark, nerve, pee off, peeve, peeve off, persecute, pique, piss off, provoke, rile, rile up, roil, storm, test someone's patience, tick off, trouble, try one's patience, vex, wind up, Idioms:, boil someone's piss, chap someone's hide, get on someone's nerves, get on someone's tits, get on someone's wick, get someone's back up, get someone's dander up, get someone's goat, get someone's Irish up, get someone's nanny, get someone's nanny-goat, get under one's goat, get under someone's skin, give someone the shits, grind one's gears, harsh one's mellow, put someone's back up, raise someone's hackles, rub someone the wrong way, rub up the wrong way, ruffle someone's feathers, tee off, torque off, affront, anger, awrath, cross, embitter, envenom, gall, get to, honk off, incense, inflame, infuriate, madden, make angry, offend, outrage, put out, set off, steam, get one's back up, make someone see red, make someone's blood boil, raise someone's shag, rattle someone's cage, rub the wrong way, ruffle some feathers, set up someone's birse

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: foutre en rogne — Translations
  • Māori: whakawanawana — Translations
  • Polish: działać na nerwy — Translations
  • Polish: grać na nerwach — Translations
  • Spanish: levantar ampollas — Translations