wrath

Definition of wrathnext
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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun wrath differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of wrath are anger, fury, indignation, ire, and rage. While all these words mean "an intense emotional state induced by displeasure," wrath is likely to suggest a desire or intent to punish or get revenge.

I feared her wrath if I was discovered

When can anger be used instead of wrath?

The words anger and wrath are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.

tried to hide his anger

When would indignation be a good substitute for wrath?

The synonyms indignation and wrath are sometimes interchangeable, but indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful.

a comment that caused general indignation

When might ire be a better fit than wrath?

Although the words ire and wrath have much in common, ire, more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling.

cheeks flushed with ire

How do rage and fury relate to one another, in the sense of wrath?

Both rage and fury suggest loss of self-control from violence of emotion.

shook with rage
could not contain his fury

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wrath Backup Spurs center Luke Kornet’s minutes have offered an opening this series — mostly a break from Wembanyama’s wrath. Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 29 May 2026 There are the victims, their families, and lives left shattered because of a single person’s vicious wrath. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026 Barely a decade after Hatch faced widespread wrath for his relatively tame antics, Hantz was celebrated. Shaan Merchant, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026 One of the most significant was the hurdle of engineering the enclave to harmonize with nature to resist the wrath of disasters, says Syd Kitson, founder and visionary behind Babcock Ranch. Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrath
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrath
Noun
  • But anger is only an occasionally riveting spice in this show, not the dominant emotion.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 19 June 2026
  • The decision against Rong Chhun, a top adviser to the Nation Power Party, was met with anger by supporters gathered outside the Supreme Court complex in Phnom Penh.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • Guéhi avoided punishment, though the FA prohibits players from displaying religious messages.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 June 2026
  • The team did not immediately respond to an email asking who the players were, whether the players would speak to Fox News and whether there would be further punishment for the players.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • Many expressed indignation that a climate-friendly clothing brand would appear to go after a beloved climate activist.
    Brittany Peterson, Fortune, 12 June 2026
  • Others use their out-of-office emails to either apologize profusely for time away or highlight their indignation at being tied to work or the internet in the first place.
    Isabel Fattal, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
Noun
  • Of the $705 million hospitals owed the state, about $478 million of that was from unpaid hospital assessments and related penalties, as of March.
    Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
  • At the final whistle, the Curaçao team mobbed Room in the penalty area before journeying some 40 yards behind him to celebrate with Curaçao fans in attendance.
    Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 21 June 2026
Noun
  • The poem that precedes it, the Iliad, is a cruel and beautiful work, the ultimate story of war; the Odyssey has its warlike passages, but its central energies seem almost commonplace beside the merciless fury of Achilles.
    David Denby, New Yorker, 21 June 2026
  • Eventually, Nomkhitha’s exhaustion and fury at having her home violated overpowered her fear.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • But residents who live near hyperscale centers have expressed outrage over a range of issues, including health impacts, spiking utility bills, constant noise, dropping water pressure and concerns about potentially losing their land through eminent domain.
    Katie King, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026
  • The show’s removal also sparked viewer outrage over free speech and expression, as well as protests outside Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, and ABC headquarters in New York.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 20 June 2026
Noun
  • But any cathartic rage is diffused by the one-dimensionality of the characters meant to express it.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 19 June 2026
  • Like historically pissed off, in this customer-rage sense.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation, sleep, appetite, memory and emotional processing.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 23 June 2026
  • This vast ecosystem of bacteria and microorganisms within our intestines shapes our health in profound ways that go well beyond digesting food — our immune system, mood, cognition, metabolism and much more.
    Will Stone, NPR, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wrath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrath. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.

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