Definition of furynext
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as in shrew
a bad-tempered scolding woman tradition has it that Socrates' wife was such a fury that the philosopher's death sentence by the authorities was not an entirely unwelcome fate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun fury differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of fury are anger, indignation, ire, rage, and wrath. While all these words mean "an intense emotional state induced by displeasure," rage and fury suggest loss of self-control from violence of emotion.

shook with rage
could not contain his fury

When might anger be a better fit than fury?

The synonyms anger and fury are sometimes interchangeable, but anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.

tried to hide his anger

In what contexts can indignation take the place of fury?

The words indignation and fury are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful.

a comment that caused general indignation

When is it sensible to use ire instead of fury?

The meanings of ire and fury largely overlap; however, ire, more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling.

cheeks flushed with ire

When would wrath be a good substitute for fury?

In some situations, the words wrath and fury are roughly equivalent. However, 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 fury When the first part of season four ends with Benedict fumbling through a disastrous proposal that Sophie become his mistress, Ha does not crumple or explode in fury. Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026 This specialized canvas allowed Michaela McManus to fully explore the depths of her character’s fury. William Earl, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026 Republicans often couched their fury at speech restrictions — around right-wing cultural politics and COVID-19, in particular — as part of a broader critique of corporate power. Ben Smith, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026 The agencies that are the main targets of Democratic fury, however, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will be able to continue operations without much disruption. Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 12 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fury
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fury
Noun
  • The tiny bodies of weasels, shrews and bats burn energy so fast that skipping even one meal can mean starvation.
    Leonie Baier, The Conversation, 27 Feb. 2026
  • She was indicted in the first Trump administration, and undoubtedly would have been convicted, just as the shrew judge in Milwaukee was last week for doing the exact same thing.
    Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 24 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • The move is characteristic frenzy building from Fred, whose show Friday night will be the final performance of his USB002 tour that began last fall.
    Katie Bain, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2026
  • But the latest one, The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special, already has fans in a frenzy.
    Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Prosecutors said Serafini’s crimes were driven by anger and financial distress.
    Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Recent suicide bombings have also reignited Pakistan’s anger with the Taliban for allegedly harbouring and supporting militant groups in Afghanistan that carry out attacks in Pakistan, which the Taliban denies.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • All-American sophomore Sarah Strong came into the second quarter on a rampage, putting up 10 unanswered points by herself in less than three minutes after ending the first with just two.
    Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
  • The attack was Canada’s deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead.
    ABC News, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The crosswalk’s removal sparked indignation in Celeste Padilla, who lives nearby.
    Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 25 Feb. 2026
  • The indignation, understandably, began to grow.
    Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The movie puts a workplace spin on the female rage film, where fed-up women finally explode, to dangerous effect.
    Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Intentional or not, the episode and the ensuing controversy take on the tinge of rage bait, of bears profitably poked.
    Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • Two machine-gunners who escaped the wrath of the previous planes.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • His prosecution has sparked outrage on social media and prompted several petitions calling for the charges against him to be dropped, including one signed by more than 380,000 people.
    Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Social media converted it into shareable outrage.
    Jay Caruso, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fury.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fury. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.

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