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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
Symptoms include migraines, muscles seizing up, his eyes turning completely black, and steroidal toxic-male rage. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026 The match ended 1-1 (guess who scored for France), Italy won a penalty shootout 5-3, and Zidane’s moment of uncontrolled rage entered sporting infamy. Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 28 July 2026
Verb
As wildfires continue to rage across southern France, George and Amal Clooney are facing the possible loss of one of the crown jewels of their $50 million property portfolio. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 30 July 2026 Huge wildfires have been raging in France and Spain, burning 300,000 acres and forcing the evacuation of 300,000 people. Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for rage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rage
Noun
  • But there was no soul, no driving power behind his voice, nothing that could bring me even to contemplate a fit of frenzy.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than revisiting the evidence against Kohberger, #CyberSleuths examines the digital frenzy surrounding the case.
    Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
Noun
  • Gallup polling found Gen Z’s anger toward AI rose from 22% to 31% over the past year, even as regular usage held roughly steady around half of the cohort, meaning a generation that keeps using a tool it’s increasingly frustrated with.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 July 2026
  • Before the recording was played, Judge William Sullivan warned jurors not to allow sympathy, anger, passion or pity to influence their verdict.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026
Noun
  • The theater was originally made to showcase Cinerama, a format developed in the 1950s that was part of the widescreen craze designed to lure viewers away from television and back to cinemas.
    Mandalit del Barco, NPR, 31 July 2026
  • Over the ensuing decades, Link Snacks has been able to ride similar trends, from the Paleo diet in the 2010s to the current protein craze driven, in part, by the popularization of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.
    Tom Huddleston Jr. Zachary Green, CNBC, 29 July 2026
Noun
  • Alzheimer’s disease, which accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases, can progress through three main stages.
    Richard Sima, Washington Post, 21 July 2026
  • Butter and Margarine Findings presented at Nutrition 2023 showed that people who consumed more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day had a 28% lower risk of dying from dementia than peers who rarely used it.
    Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • Militant members and their fellow travelers booed, and a former Labour chairman stormed off the stage in anger.
    James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
  • Many attacks have been carried out by angry mobs storming treatment centers.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Verb
  • Its shot-of-steam, spray, vertical-steaming and self-cleaning features were also tested.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
  • Manila clams are woven into Italian cuisine, tossed in pasta or served steamed.
    Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Noun
  • If convicted, Morales faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison for his bloody rampage, Assistant District Attorney Megan Joy said in court.
    Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 25 July 2026
  • The plane carrying the deportees arrived on the same day the United Nations confirmed that a deadly gang rampage in the hills above Port-au-Prince had left at least 61 people dead, including 14 children.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
Noun
  • Mind you, Miss Manners agrees with your indignation at this fraudulent maneuver.
    Judith Martin, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
  • And Anne Hathaway, in a bravura performance, situates Penelope on an emotional precipice, caught between indecision and indignation, between yearning for her husband and a palpable disgust with the alternatives.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rage. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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