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ire

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun ire differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ire are anger, fury, indignation, rage, and wrath. While all these words mean "an intense emotional state induced by displeasure," ire, more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling.

cheeks flushed with ire

In what contexts can anger take the place of ire?

While the synonyms anger and ire are close in meaning, anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.

tried to hide his anger

When is it sensible to use indignation instead of ire?

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

a comment that caused general indignation

How are the words rage and fury related as synonyms of ire?

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 ire?

While in some cases nearly identical to ire, 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 ire
Noun
The party was down in the polls until Trump started talking about annexation, raising the ire of Canadians. Lexie Schapitl, NPR, 6 May 2025 Before her elevation to the appellate court and then the Supreme Court, Justice Jackson served on the district court bench in Washington with Judge James E. Boasberg, who has been a particular target of Mr. Trump’s ire because of his rulings seeking to block the deportation of Venezuelan migrants. Laura N. Pérez Sánchez, New York Times, 2 May 2025 Just the fact that the government is (once again controversially) using rap lyrics as evidence drew the ire of the rapper and his family. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2025 The non-call drew the ire of Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who ran onto the court to argue with the officials as soon as time expired. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ire
Noun
  • But there’s vulnerability buried in that sort of indignation.
    Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 16 May 2025
  • The feeling was one of indignation at the officiating and at UEFA, European football’s governing body.
    Pol Ballús, New York Times, 11 May 2025
Verb
  • Any effort to rename the body of water would likely deeply anger Iran, which was historically called Persia, and perhaps other Middle Eastern states as well.
    Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 7 May 2025
  • The English-for-truckers push has particularly angered me, though.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2025
Noun
  • Willkie Farr & Gallagher last week became the latest law firm to strike a deal with the White House and escape President Trump’s wrath.
    Ben Protess, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • And Augusta National Golf Club did not escape the storm’s wrath.
    Bob Spear, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • More: The infuriating ambiguity of 'fine' Broadhurst has since graduated from Oxford and is now pursuing a masters in forensic speech science at the University of York.
    Charles Trepany, USA Today, 22 May 2025
  • But the new textbooks have infuriated former government loyalists who defend their version of history.
    Simon Montlake, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • The abuses have sparked outrage and fear among South Sudanese nationals and marginalized groups in Khartoum, seen as having ties to RSF, who have recruited mercenaries from South Sudan.
    Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 16 May 2025
  • The deaths sparked outrage and consumed social media for months as the case unfolded.
    Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • Jason Kilar, who had just become head of what was then called Warner Media and was part of AT&T, was enraged enough at the messy debut that some executives soon would move on.
    David Bloom, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
  • The government doesn’t keep statistics regarding the number of white farmers killed, but news of particularly brutal attacks has enraged many Afrikaners.
    Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 14 May 2025
Noun
  • That fury gained public visibility after UnitedHealthcare's top executive, Brian Thompson, was shot and killed on a Manhattan street in December.
    Maria Aspan, NPR, 16 May 2025
  • Future In Focus Shareholder fury: Max and Jake have been sniffing out what could happen to ITV, the UK broadcaster/producer whose future has been the subject of international gossip for quite some time now.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Prosecutors say Read, 45, deliberately hit O’Keefe, 46, with her Lexus SUV in a drunken rage and left him for dead in January 2022.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 10 May 2025
  • So there’s a lot of rage from that, and rightfully so.
    Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ire. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

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