fly off the handle

phrase

informal

: to lose control of one's emotions : to become very angry

He tends to fly off the handle when people disagree with him.

Examples of fly off the handle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These narrative choices were initially influenced by what wasn’t working in previous drafts, which was the narrator really flying off the handle. — Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026

However, seeing the obviously unwell Jane continually fly off the handle is challenging to watch, especially since her behavior is chalked up to bad nerves and a desperate desire to find a man who will save her from herself. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026

And the person who flies off the handle potentially will be the loser. — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026

Ultimately, the best thing to do is to try to lie low and ground yourself rather than flying off the handle. — Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for fly off the handle

• candle
• sandal
• scandal
• vandal
• panhandle