The word "maddening" is spelled with double "d" because it represents the doubling of the final consonant after a short vowel in English. In IPA phonetic transcription, "maddening" is written as /ˈmædənɪŋ/, with the stress on the first syllable. The "d" sound is emphasized twice, indicating the frustration or annoyance implied by the word. Pronounced as described, the word "maddening" can help articulate feelings of intense irritation or aggravation.
The term "maddening" is an adjective that describes something that is intensely frustrating, irritating, or exasperating, often to the point of causing anger or inducing madness. It refers to situations, actions, behaviors, or even people that push one's patience, tolerance, or sanity to the limit.
When used to describe a situation, "maddening" signifies an event or circumstance that feels endlessly bothersome and wearisome, leading to a sense of overwhelming annoyance or vexation. For example, waiting in a long line at the grocery store, only to find that the cashier made an error with the total bill, can be described as a maddening experience.
Furthermore, "maddening" can also describe actions or behaviors that generate extreme aggravation because they go against logical reasoning or common sense. For instance, repeatedly pressing an elevator button that is known to be unresponsive or witnessing someone intentionally ignore a solution to a problem can be seen as highly maddening actions.
Moreover, "maddening" can be used to characterize individuals who consistently engage in irritating or irrational behavior, causing profound frustration or distress to those around them. These people often exhibit habits or tendencies that test the patience of others, such as chronically interrupting conversations or making careless mistakes.
Overall, "maddening" captures the essence of relentless frustration, presenting a picture of profound annoyance and exasperation that can push one's emotional boundaries and sanity to the edge.
Making mad or very angry.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "maddening" is derived from the verb "mad" which dates back to Old English. The Old English verb "gemǣdan" meant "to make insane or crazy". Over the years, the word underwent changes in pronunciation and spelling, eventually evolving into "mad" in Middle English. The suffix "-en" is added to form the adjective "maddening", which means "causing madness, frustration, or irritation".