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rage

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun rage differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of rage are anger, fury, indignation, ire, 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

Where would anger be a reasonable alternative to rage?

The words anger and rage can be used in similar contexts, but anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.

tried to hide his anger

When can indignation be used instead of rage?

While in some cases nearly identical to rage, 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 rage?

While the synonyms ire and rage are close in meaning, ire, more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling.

cheeks flushed with ire

When is it sensible to use wrath instead of rage?

The synonyms wrath and rage are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 rage
Noun
But the experience too often triggers barbaric rage. Ed Lavandera, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025 Fox Traitors-esque mystery formats are all the rage at present and the trend has extended to Gordon Ramsay. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
Fighting still rages on between rival militaries in eastern Congo, some backed by the Democratic Republic of Congo. Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025 The most harrowing stop came in November 2023 as the war between Ukraine and Russia raged. Vanessa Romo, NPR, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rage
Noun
  • New technologies at work cause something of a feeding frenzy.
    Nick Tzitzon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The pair weathered the media frenzy, however.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But in Israel, some of the relief felt in the wake of the agreement has been eclipsed by anger that Hamas so far has released only the remains of nine of the 28 deceased hostages held in Gaza.
    Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The Owensboro news media and some white onlookers insist that when the lady sheriff didn’t show up to act as executioner, there was anger in the press’s unmet expectations, which then was taken out on the crowd, with the reporters lying about the audience’s unruly behavior.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Not wanting to miss out on the sport truck craze currently happening with the Detroit 3, Toyota has debuted the TRD Rally model of the Tundra.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The Labubu craze doesn’t seem to be dying down any time soon, as new, mainstream, and rare editions are all in high demand, and fans often look for clothing and event advent calendars to accompany their cute yet scary figurines.
    Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The 83-year-old man’s family believes Theo is suffering from the beginning stages of undiagnosed dementia, according to WTVR.
    Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
  • People between 50 and 60 years old who got six hours of sleep nightly had a higher risk of dementia later in life, while older adults who didn't sleep well at night, but napped often, had a greater risk of dying within the next five years.
    Sherri Gordon, Health, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Hours later, the players stormed onto the NFL turf under the bright stadium lights, ready to battle it out in a three-team round robin against the Murrieta Hawkeyes and Shadow Hawks.
    Stephanie Ogilvie, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The 34-year-old Colombian artist stormed the runway to perform between the parade of angel wings, and received her own coveted feathers in the process.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Do not waste precious prep time wiping down your baseboards, scrubbing the windows, or steaming your floors.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The director was asked if the deal with the steaming giant could compromise the film’s theatrical release in the same way as Ferrari, which bypassed cinemas in a number of key European territories such as France and Europe.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Speck was a mass murderer who went on a rampage and killed eight nursing students in 1966.
    Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the May 2022 rampage at Robb Elementary School.
    Josh Margolin, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • She was particularly distressed by Kennedy’s June decision to fire the entire vaccine advisory board and stack it with his allies, but recent months have offered even more opportunities for stress and indignation.
    Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2025
  • McBride sets the political context for Swift’s savage indignation by noting that 1727–1729 saw three successive harvest failures in Ireland.
    Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 30 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rage. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

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