incensed 1 of 3

as in enraged
feeling or showing anger incensed residents demanded that the police apprehend the punks who vandalized the cemetery

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incensed

2 of 3

verb (1)

past tense of incense

incensed

3 of 3

verb (2)

past tense of incense
as in scented
to fill or infuse with a pleasant odor or odor-releasing substance the gift shop was heavily incensed with a cloying mixture of herbal essences

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 incensed
Adjective
An incensed Johnson marched out of his office Friday afternoon. Stephen Groves, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026 Once in the hands of the incensed and terrified Portuguese authorities, Amador was swiftly punished. Literary Hub, 19 Mar. 2026 That morning, Barmore allegedly became incensed over the air conditioning being set at 70 degrees instead of 68 and again when his daughter wanted to visit him in his bedroom. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 31 Dec. 2025 House Democratic Leader Karen Camper, D-Memphis, became incensed. Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 31 Oct. 2025 Songwriters are even more incensed, having to split their declining earnings with co-writers and taking a backseat to the producers and rights-holders who are out for their own pieces of the pie. Roy Trakin, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
Marmol was understandably incensed, and Eddings very quickly threw him out of the game. Levi Weaver, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 The duo's defiance paved the way for a resolution to condemn socialism, a key election-year messaging bill for the GOP that drew glaring defections among Democrats, many of whom were incensed at the turn of events. Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026 The smokejumpers ultimately kept their jobs, but the episode incensed the Alaska crew. M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 The picketers, a constant presence outside the 70-year-old park, were particularly incensed about Lolita the orca, who died two years earlier after decades in captivity. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026 According to new reporting by MPR News, police in the city of Winona, Minnesota are incensed after their entire fleet of Flock license plate readers went missing. Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 5 Aug. 2026 Eventually, the public became incensed that the queen hadn’t returned to Buckingham Palace, and also that there was no flag above the 775-room royal residence—particularly a flag at half-mast in honor of the princess’s passing. Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 28 July 2026 Perez had the ball taken from him after seven innings and only 92 pitches, which incensed fans both in Miami and beyond. Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2026 Newsom hailed the changes, but environmental groups are incensed at the turnabout. Dan Walters, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incensed
Adjective
  • Imagine the ripe smell of swamp-wet dogs, the acrid stench of overheated, enraged bear, the slippery warm blood of pack members already lost; the simply insufferable noise and confusion in that dank little hole.
    Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • As a consequence, Nadia’s enraged sponsors send her packing back to Europe.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • But Marcia was beginning to sound like Marcia on the page, Marcia in those essays that both excited and infuriated her readers.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The targeting designation infuriated KU coach Lance Leipold, who was asked about the flag after a game in which the defense held the Sharks to 146 yards and 11 first downs.
    Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Although nicely scented to us humans, the strong, sweet perfume emanating from Dutch hyacinth flowers is off-putting to many animals, as is the fruity scent of the unrelated grape hyacinth, which deer and rabbits perceive as musky.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Pair your time in the pool with relaxing massages and facials, the former with organic oils scented with herbs and flowers from the island, and the latter with products from Rowse, the natural and cruelty-free cosmetics brand.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Why would anyone want to do this in a game about an angry, unkillable mutant with claws sharp enough to cut through space-time?
    Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Seehorn carried a heavy load as its lead, playing a sad, angry woman forced to save the world from happiness and the hive mind.
    Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Sánchez is facing mounting scrutiny amid a prolonged humanitarian crisis in Ceuta, where the flood of thousands of migrants has angered residents in the tiny community, which is ill-equipped to handle such an influx.
    Suman Naishadham, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Prosecutors argued Monday that Kading’s disclosures angered Davis.
    Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Don’t miss the botanical and sculpture gardens, which are perfumed by the jasmine and orchid flowers that bloom all over.
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Mosses and lichens filled the hollows, while yellowish dead man’s fingers — a spooky and thus aptly named fungus — curled among low-growing rhododendrons that perfumed the air with warm, woody notes.
    Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Residents were also outraged that the nearby Santa Ynez Reservoir, which had been drained for lengthy repairs, sat empty and dry as neighborhoods burned.
    Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • When all news is national and every outraged fan can post their thoughts on social media, a suspicious lineup in Utah in April can feed a daylong news cycle.
    Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • One guy in cargo shorts and a battered Ramones T-shirt kept casting dirty looks at the sky, clearly annoyed at the thumping of the TV news helicopters — there were at least three overhead at all times — drowning out his commentary.
    Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • What annoyed me the most, though, was the way the meditation teachers talked, which tended toward New Age–isms in passive voice.
    Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Incensed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incensed. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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