irate

adjective

ī-ˈrāt 

ˈī-ˌrāt,

i-ˈrāt

1

: roused to ire

an irate taxpayer

2

: arising from anger

irate words

irately adverb

irateness noun

Synonyms

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

Examples of irate in a Sentence

Irate viewers called the television network to complain about the show.

the big increase in cable rates prompted a flood of irate calls and letters

Recent Examples on the Web

There is also the group of 105 irate citizens suing Yoon for emotional damages related to his power grab, which sent special forces soldiers to occupy the National Assembly and brought the press briefly under military control. —Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025

Cousins was irate and had to be held back from going after fans. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2025

In April, while sitting down with ABC News' Terry Moran, Trump grew irate when asked about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador the month prior. —Meredith Kile, People.com, 28 May 2025

Cindric managed to lose the Stage win to Wallace, leading to an irate call over the radio. —Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for irate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

irate

adjective

ī-ˈrāt 

: angry sense 1a

irately adverb

irateness noun