anger 1 of 2

Definition of angernext

anger

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun anger differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of anger are fury, indignation, ire, rage, and wrath. While all these words mean "an intense emotional state induced by displeasure," anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.

tried to hide his anger

When could indignation be used to replace anger?

In some situations, the words indignation and anger are roughly equivalent. However, indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful.

a comment that caused general indignation

In what contexts can ire take the place of anger?

The meanings of ire and anger largely overlap; however, 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 anger?

Both rage and fury suggest loss of self-control from violence of emotion.

shook with rage
could not contain his fury

Where would wrath be a reasonable alternative to anger?

While the synonyms wrath and anger are close in meaning, wrath is likely to suggest a desire or intent to punish or get revenge.

I feared her wrath if I was discovered

How does the noun anger differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of anger are fury, indignation, ire, rage, and wrath. While all these words mean "an intense emotional state induced by displeasure," anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.

tried to hide his anger

When could indignation be used to replace anger?

In some situations, the words indignation and anger are roughly equivalent. However, indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful.

a comment that caused general indignation

In what contexts can ire take the place of anger?

The meanings of ire and anger largely overlap; however, 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 anger?

Both rage and fury suggest loss of self-control from violence of emotion.

shook with rage
could not contain his fury

Where would wrath be a reasonable alternative to anger?

While the synonyms wrath and anger are close in meaning, wrath is likely to suggest a desire or intent to punish or get revenge.

I feared her wrath if I was discovered

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 anger
Noun
In the aftermath, China has responded with anger – condemning the capture or killing of a sovereign leader and the apparent US attempt at regime change while reaching out to Iran express its friendship. John Liu, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 2026 Over its 12-song tracklist, the album works through varying forms of shame, including anger, disappointment, and dark humor. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
The two sat up front and refused to move, angering the driver, who stormed off at every stop, all through the night. ABC News, 5 Mar. 2026 Police had originally charged Coulibaly with felony assault, but Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg reduced the charges, angering police unions. Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anger
Noun
  • This is Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy, a gripping portrait of a young prince caught between action and inaction, grief and rage, truth and deception.
    Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Large Graphic Prints In the 1950s and '60s, bold, patterned carpets—geometric designs, florals, and abstract prints—were all the rage.
    Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Kline was frustrated and even infuriated by the military's past reluctance.
    CBS News, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Kline was frustrated and even infuriated by the military's past reluctance.
    ABC News, ABC News, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Iranians will first need to pick up the political and physical pieces of their lives, and although public fury at the government has not diminished, foreign military intervention has ignited a sense of millennia-old nationalism.
    Robin Wright, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
  • But the company’s move brought fury from the White House.
    Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The narrators seldom seem bitter; never enraged.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
  • In the end, he was exonerated but Doc ultimately opted to partner with the hospital to the benefit of his patients, which enraged Hope, sending her into the hands of her ex Roland and setting up a potential love triangle that had been brewing all season.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Soaring ratings transform him into an unlikely prophet for a network hungry for spectacle, in a world where outrage sells and attention is the ultimate currency.
    Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Good, 37, was fatally shot by a federal immigration officer, prompting national outrage.
    Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Easily annoyed, the driver keeps giving punches to the center of the steering wheel.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The White House could also insist that while Tkachuk was annoyed, he wasn’t harmed in a way the law ought to remedy.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • When one’s sense of basic fairness is violated, indignation runs high.
    Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The other parents joined them, one or two echoing the incredulity, a mixture of fake consternation, mild indignation, and real pride.
    Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • But questions swirled about if even that would survive nature’s wrath for two-and-a-half centuries.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Anger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anger. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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