drive someone up the wall

verb

To make a person very angry or frustrated; to infuriate.

“Her persistent nagging and constant bickering with me nearly drove me up the wall.”

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Meanings

verbdrive (someone) up the wall
  1. idiomaticTo make a person very angry or frustrated; to infuriate.

    Her persistent nagging and constant bickering with me nearly drove me up the wall.

    1 more example

    There is nothing and no one that's going to shut him up. That's what makes [Chris] Tucker funny. It's also what can drive you up the wall about him.

    1998 September 18, Charles Taylor, “Hong Kong Hollywood”, in Salon, archived from the original on 06 May 2008

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
drive someone crazy

Translations

Catalan fer sortir de polleguera
  • fer sortir de pollegueraTranslations
Czech zatlačit někoho ke zdi
  • zatlačit někoho ke zdiTranslations
Dutch iemand op de kast jagen
  • iemand op de kast jagenTranslations
Finnish tehdä joku hulluksi, käydä jonkun hermoille
  • tehdä joku hulluksiTranslations
  • käydä jonkun hermoilleTranslations
German jemanden auf die Palme bringen
  • jemanden auf die Palme bringenTranslations
Polish doprowadzać do szału, doprowadzić do szału
  • doprowadzać do szałuTranslations
  • doprowadzić do szałuTranslations
Russian доводи́ть до бе́шенства, довести́ до бе́шенства
  • доводи́ть до бе́шенства (dovodítʹ do béšenstva)Translations
  • довести́ до бе́шенства (dovestí do béšenstva)Translations
Spanish sacar de sus casillas
  • sacar de sus casillasTranslations
Ukrainian дово́дити до ска́зу, довести́ до ска́зу
  • дово́дити до ска́зу (dovódyty do skázu)Translations
  • довести́ до ска́зу (dovestý do skázu)Translations
Cite this entry
APA

drive someone up the wall. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/drive%20someone%20up%20the%20wall

MLA

“drive someone up the wall.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/drive%20someone%20up%20the%20wall. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “drive someone up the wall,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/drive%20someone%20up%20the%20wall.

Source: drive someone up the wall on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.