# raise someone's hackles

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/raise-someones-hackles
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To annoy or anger someone.

## Examples

- His rude comments always raise my hackles.
- The politician's controversial statement about taxes really raised the hackles of the local business owners.
- The manager's condescending tone during the meeting immediately raised the hackles of the entire design team, leading to a tense and unproductive discussion.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.