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 There’s Diem’s grandparents, Grace (Lauren Graham) and Patrick (Bradley Whitford), who are well-meaning but full of righteous wrath about the woman who was responsible for their son’s death. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026 Mayor Mamdani and his team want to position themselves as heroes battling the wrath of bad landlords, while shielding the work, or lack thereof, of this administration (and previous administrations) and not answer for its own neglect. Renee Collymore, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026 But even with Ledger onside, Kenna still faces the wrath of Grace and Patrick, Diem’s grandparents. Damon Wise, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026 The White Stripes frontman may have incurred the wrath of Swifties with his comments in a recent interview. Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrath
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrath
Noun
  • National media stories appear almost daily about taxpayers’ anger over ever increasing levies on their homes.
    Jon Coupal, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Iannarelli discussed how threatening individuals often escalate their anger verbally.
    Evonne Andris, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • But the message did not say what happened or if any students faced punishment .
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Georgia lawmakers have approved a bill creating more legal punishments for protesters and others who obstruct the state's streets and highways.
    Dan Raby, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Those calls have been met with eye-rolling and righteous indignation.
    Daniel DePetris, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
  • But this indignation ignores what Chalamet was actually saying.
    Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The city agreed, reducing maximum e-bike speeds to 15 mph on city trails, prohibiting e-bikes on sidewalks and imposing penalties.
    Sarah Raza, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The Jackets took another penalty with 41 seconds left and the B’s tied it with 11 seconds left in regulation.
    Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • But while both Horvath and Heilman backed the compromise struck with Bass, many residents and public transit advocates expressed fury at the amendment.
    National Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Intense fury over Jackson County property assessments.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Yet session after session, the result has been the same — agencies receive their annual appropriations, public outrage over long security lines and flight delays fades, legislation languishes and workers have no guarantees their paychecks won't stop coming again.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
  • No amount of outrageousness can mask the outrage.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • That rage drove her away from King’s politics of nonviolence and toward a more militant ideology.
    Zayd Ayers Dohrn, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Curled, effortless updos have been all the rage lately, from Kerry Washington and LaTanya Richardson Jackson to Olandria Carthen.
    Essence, Essence, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • In a high-rise, that kind of continuous great-room footprint can matter as much as the finishes —especially when the view is expected to carry the mood of the space.
    David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Floorboards and beige walls didn’t do much to set the mood, but they were beautifully accompanied by period furniture and lamps, that kept the post-war vibe the rest of the hotel basks in.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wrath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrath. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

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