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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
The special election was held because Labour lawmaker Mike Amesbury was forced to quit after he was convicted of punching a constituent in a drunken rage. Arkansas Online, 3 May 2025 The special election was held because Labor lawmaker Mike Amesbury was forced to quit after he was convicted of punching a constituent in a drunken rage. Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025
Verb
While Trump vowed to end the war in Ukraine day one, the war rages on. ABC News, 4 May 2025 On Saturday, even as the rain began in the morning and continued through the afternoon in a steady downpour, the party raged in kind. Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 4 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for rage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rage
Noun
  • The dampened investor mood over AI — relative to the frenzy over the theme in 2024, at least — doesn’t reflect the priorities of companies, which are still spending on AI infrastructure and leveraging the technology to find new revenue streams.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 21 May 2025
  • Today’s tariff frenzy is not really motivated by a concern for military threats, anyway.
    Ben Bayer, Oc Register, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • Down encourages readers to use their righteous anger toward rebuilding a fractured world.
    Shannon Carlin, Time, 22 May 2025
  • Told in the first person, the story explores a lot of the feelings that Helen experiences: frustration and anger and love for her friend.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • Sports betting is an out-of-control craze among young men.
    Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur Launched in 2007, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur (20% ABV) surged to its highest popularity in the last two years as the spritz craze ran rampant.
    Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • Be smart: Keeping your brain on its toes, so to speak, can help prevent dementia.
    Carly Mallenbaum, Axios, 7 May 2025
  • Social isolation is a leading risk factor for a wide range of serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
    Rob Simmelkjaer, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
Verb
  • The Panthers stormed back in this series by getting the game played on their terms at Amerant Bank Arena.
    Chris Johnston, New York Times, 12 May 2025
  • The reigning champs built substantial leads at home in both Games 1 and 2, but New York stormed back to win both those contests in stunning fashion.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • With more fans steaming, says Pitaro, ESPN will offer features that allow users to personalize their content.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 13 May 2025
  • Don’t forget to take advantage of the signature St. Regis butler service, which will promptly fulfill requests for packing needs, garment pressing, restaurant reservations and a cup of steaming chamomile tea to unwind after a long flight.
    Natasha Amar, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Noun
  • Authorities in North Carolina on April 28 were investigating a shooting rampage on the campus of Elizabeth City State University that left one person dead and six injured.
    John Bacon, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2025
  • The change in position underscores the hardened perspective toward the agency under the Trump administration following allegations by Israel that some of the agency staff was involved in the Hamas rampage.
    Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025
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

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Cite this Entry

“Rage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rage. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on rage

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