apoplectic

ap·o·plec·tic

adj \ˌa-pə-ˈplek-tik\

Definition of APOPLECTIC

1

: of, relating to, or causing stroke

2

: affected with, inclined to, or showing symptoms of stroke

3

: of a kind to cause or apparently cause stroke <an apoplectic rage>; also : greatly excited or angered <was apoplectic over the news>

— ap·o·plec·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of APOPLECTIC

1. She was positively apoplectic with anger when she realized she had been cheated.
2. <the coach was so apoplectic when the player missed the free throw that he threw his clipboard onto the court>
3. Giuliani was apoplectic when the gangster fought off murder and racketeering charges and sauntered out of court in March 1987 after a sensational acquittal to bask in the TV lights. —Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, June 2000
4. The quarrel was splendidly acrimonious. When Charles Perrault, now remembered for his fairy tales, rose in the French Academy in 1687 to champion modern authors, Nicolas Boileau, the arbiter of taste, waxed so apoplectic he lost his voice. —David Coward, New York Times Book Review, 27 Apr. 1997
5. Don Hewitt, the program's venerable executive producer, becomes positively apoplectic when I mention the subject during a conversation about Amanpour's job negotiations. The three networks had offered her the opportunity to contribute to their evening news shows as well as the their newsmagazines. —Leslie Bennetts, Vanity Fair, September 1996

Origin of APOPLECTIC

French or Late Latin; French apoplectique, from Late Latin apoplecticus, from Greek apoplēktikos, from apoplēssein

First Known Use: 1611

Related to APOPLECTIC

Synonyms: angered, angry, ballistic, cheesed off [chiefly British], choleric, enraged, foaming, fuming, furious, hopping, horn-mad, hot, incensed, indignant, inflamed (also enflamed), infuriate, infuriated, irate, ireful, livid, mad, outraged, rabid, rankled, riled, riley, roiled, shirty [chiefly British], sore, steamed up, steaming, teed off, ticked, wrathful, wroth

Antonyms: angerless, delighted, pleased

Related Words: ranting, raving, stormy; boiling, bristling, bristly, burning, cross, huffy, passionate, seething, sizzling, smoldering (or smouldering), worked up, wrought (up); acrid, acrimonious, antagonistic, antipathetic, bitter, embittered, inimical, malevolent, piqued, rancorous, resentful, spiteful, vengeful, vindictive, virulent, vitriolic; antisocial, cold, cool, disagreeable, disapproving, distant, frigid, icy, ill-tempered, sorehead (or soreheaded), sulky, unfriendly, unpleasant; aggravated, annoyed, bearish, bilious, cantankerous, churlish, crabby, cranky, dyspeptic, exasperated, fretful, fussy, grouchy, grumpy, ill-humored, inflammable, irascible, irritable, peevish, perturbed, petulant, put out, quick-tempered, snappish, testy, touchy; argumentative, belligerent, contentious, contrary, disputatious, ornery, pugnacious, quarrelsome, querulous

Near Antonyms: accepting, accommodating, obliging; agreeable, amenable, complaisant; amicable, cordial, friendly; content, happy, satisfied; empathetic, sympathetic, tolerant, understanding; calm, pacific, peaceable, placid, serene, tranquil, unembittered; affable, amiable, easygoing, genial, good-natured, good-tempered, kind, pleasant, sweet

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Rhymes with APOPLECTIC

anorectic, catalectic, dialectic