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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
The truth is, 2025 has been an anger-inducing experience for so many people that a simmering rage has been building all year. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 31 July 2025 This has unintended consequences when both Batel and Spock share a vision that sends Spock into a berserk rage. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 July 2025
Verb
That means a ceasefire is still possible though talks have been floundering and conflict still rages. USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025 Until then, wars continue to rage in Gaza and Ukraine, prices edge up and the U.S. remains as divided as ever. Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rage
Noun
  • Both the New Heights podcast and Taylor Nation hinted at the announcement with cryptic social media posts on Monday morning, sending fans into an investigative frenzy.
    Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2025
  • The announcement, her 12th studio record and first since The Tortured Poets Department, was classic Swift, dramatic, meticulously timed, and guaranteed to send her global fan base into a buying frenzy.
    Becca Bratcher, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • For those on the fringes of the fan protest, maintaining the anger to rally against those in charge probably becomes harder in those circumstances.
    Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025
  • As the immediacy of the COVID crisis receded, public anger about the American response to it took deeper root—perhaps most prominently among some critics who are now Trump appointees.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Searches for boho braids have climbed over 5,000% on Google in the past month alone—and Mensah has seen the craze reflected in the growing waiting list in her salon too.
    Hannah Coates, Vogue, 2 Aug. 2025
  • The shoes were usually worn by fathers or middle-aged men, but were then adopted by street style influencers, propelling the dad shoe into a hot fashion trend, with Nike, New Balance, Asics and more footwear companies leaning into the dad shoe craze.
    Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 28 July 2025
Noun
  • The legendary actor retired after being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023.
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The testing confirmed her diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and aphasia, the outlet reported.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The Dolphins sideline erupted, with may offensive teammates storming the corner of the field to celebrate with Eskridge, including wide receivers coach Robert Prince, exuberant for one of his players.
    David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Both women complained profusely to me about it before storming out.
    Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Loud marching bands paraded randomly through the cobblestoned streets and alleys, food vendors attracted crowds with their steaming hot Cervelat and St. Galler bratwurst, plates of creamy raclette, and fresh pints of local beer.
    Ben Davidson Correspondent, Oc Register, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Michael Mann–style shots of characters considering their lives while staring into the middle distance at crashing waves or steaming fields of lava are beautiful and plentiful.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • That was a distraction from the perpetual confusion in that first year of Covid, which in itself was a distraction from much of Trump’s rampage through Washington.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 11 Aug. 2025
  • Tamura then continued his rampage through the lobby, fatally shooting a woman attempting to hide behind a pillar and a security guard stationed at his desk.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 29 July 2025
Noun
  • At the heart of Nugent’s indignation was the 2021 sting operation that entangled him and three other landowners in a legal battle with the DNR.
    Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 30 July 2025
  • That indignation, those headlines, the praise for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s bravery and leadership cooling dramatically since those early days–in Europe and America.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rage. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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