rub up the wrong way

verb

To annoy or anger someone.

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Meanings

verbrub up the wrong way (third-person singular simple present rubs up the wrong way, present participle rubbing up the wrong way, simple past and past participle rubbed up the wrong way)

present singular third person rubs up the wrong way · participle present rubbing up the wrong way · participle past rubbed up the wrong way · past rubbed up the wrong way

  1. figurativelyidiomatictransitiveTo annoy or anger someone.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
annoy
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“rub up the wrong way.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rub%20up%20the%20wrong%20way. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rub up the wrong way,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rub%20up%20the%20wrong%20way.

Source: rub up the wrong way on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.