apoplectic

adjective

ap·o·plec·tic ˌa-pə-ˈplek-tik

Synonyms of apoplectic next

medical : of, relating to, or causing apoplexy or stroke

also : affected with, susceptible to, or showing symptoms of apoplexy or stroke

Note: Use of apoplectic in medical contexts relating to stroke still occurs but is now generally considered dated.

: of a kind to cause or apparently cause stroke

an apoplectic rage

: extremely enraged

was apoplectic over the news

apoplectically

ˌa-pə-ˈplek-ti-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Examples of apoplectic in a Sentence

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

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

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 to their newsmagazines. —

Leslie Bennetts, Vanity Fair, September 1996

She was positively apoplectic with anger when she realized she had been cheated. the coach was so apoplectic when the player missed the free throw that he threw his clipboard onto the court

Recent Examples on the Web Jimmy Carter left office with a deficit of $74 billion, which made conservatives apoplectic. —

Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 13 Mar. 2023 At the time the tape was made, in the summer of 2021, Trump was apoplectic that Milley’s fears about him were becoming public. —

Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 28 June 2023 Though messages have gotten less apoplectic, LeCompte told me, Wall Street is now making the case that—while something should eventually happen—passing the bill this session wouldn’t allow creditors enough time to haggle over it with lawmakers. —

Kate Aronoff, The New Republic, 9 June 2023 Johnson’s apoplectic second banana is just a third wheel, in more ways than one. —

David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2023 The documents that pertain to U.S. efforts to assist Ukraine’s resistance against a Russian invasion prompted some particularly apoplectic commentary about how that mission is going. —

Noah Rothman, National Review, 17 Apr. 2023 His drive-by coaching style hasn’t endeared him to a faction of the apoplectic fan base used to Rick Carlisle’s maneuvering. —

Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 31 Mar. 2023 Throughout the apoplectic new song, Ashnikko rages against a former lover, scream-rapping about their manipulative behavior and dissecting them piece by piece. —

Stephen Daw, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2023 Something about its bum-fights-meets-Three Stooges energy instantly clicked with MTV audiences, giving the network its highest ratings in history (2.4 million among 12-to-34-year-olds) while sending lawmakers like Sen. Joe Lieberman into apoplectic fits. —

Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'apoplectic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.