furious

adjective

fu·​ri·​ous ˈfyu̇r-ē-əs How to pronounce furious (audio)
1
a(1)
: exhibiting or goaded by anger
She was furious with them for printing the story.
(2)
: indicative of or proceeding from anger
b
: giving a stormy or turbulent appearance
furious bursts of flame
c
: marked by noise, excitement, activity, or rapidity
worked at a furious pace
2
: intense sense 1a
the furious growth of tropical vegetation
furiously adverb

Example Sentences

She's furious at how slowly the investigation is proceeding. I was furious with them for printing the story. We worked all night at a furious pace.
Recent Examples on the Web Many composers after Wagner wrote their own librettos; few could match his furious double focus. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023 These statements, alongside the furious reactions of their co-stars, have been dissected by the army of Bravo fan accounts. Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2023 The son of Louisiana sharecroppers, Guy, 86, made his name in Chicago in the late ‘50s and ‘60s with a furious, almost violent guitar style that influenced Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and countless others. Dallas News, 3 Mar. 2023 After a furious rush to beat the clock in 2022, NHL general managers are acting early and often to jockey for the top players available or stockpile future assets in advance of the trade deadline this year. Stephen Whyno, ajc, 2 Mar. 2023 The company has faced a barrage of demands and intensifying scrutiny from lawmakers and officials furious not only over the derailment, but also the consequences of the decision to burn off some of the toxic chemicals carried by the train. Emily Cochrane, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Mar. 2023 Videos posted on social media Wednesday showed furious family members protesting outside some of the affected schools in Tehran; in one video, a member of Iran’s security forces can be seen pulling a woman by the hair. Babak Dehghanpisheh, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2023 At one point, he was caught in the middle of a furious squabble among activists over whether foxes should be trapped to save birds in those wetlands. James R. Hagerty, WSJ, 1 Mar. 2023 But on Sunday, Albertus played fast, furious, physical and kept Saint Joe’s on its heels, winning 82-79 at Jim Calhoun Gymnasium. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 26 Feb. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'furious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French furieus, from Latin furiosus, from furia madness, fury

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of furious was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near furious

Cite this Entry

“Furious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/furious. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

furious

adjective
fu·​ri·​ous ˈfyu̇r-ē-əs How to pronounce furious (audio)
1
: very angry
2
: very active : violent
a furious storm
furiously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on furious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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