WRATH Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'wrath' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of wrath are anger , fury , indignation , ire , and rage . While all these words mean "an intense emotional state induced by displeasure," wrath is likely to suggest a desire or intent to punish or get revenge. // I feared her wrath if I was discovered

Q: When can 'anger' be used instead of 'wrath'?

The words anger and wrath are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, anger , the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity. // tried to hide his anger

Q: When would 'indignation' be a good substitute for 'wrath'?

The synonyms indignation and wrath are sometimes interchangeable, but indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful. // a comment that caused general indignation

Q: When might 'ire' be a better fit than 'wrath'?

Although the words ire and wrath have much in common, ire , more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling. // cheeks flushed with ire

Q: How do 'rage' and 'fury' relate to one another, in the sense of 'wrath'?

Both rage and fury suggest loss of self-control from violence of emotion. // shook with rage // could not contain his fury

wrath

noun

ˈrath

Definition of wrath

as in anger

an intense emotional state of displeasure with someone or something waited until my initial wrath had eased before voicing my complaint

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as in punishment

suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense the evangelist warned the gathering that unrepentant sinners would suffer the wrath of God

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How does the noun wrath differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of wrath are anger, fury, indignation, ire, and rage. While all these words mean "an intense emotional state induced by displeasure," wrath is likely to suggest a desire or intent to punish or get revenge.

I feared her wrath if I was discovered

When can anger be used instead of wrath?

The words anger and wrath are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.

tried to hide his anger

When would indignation be a good substitute for wrath?

The synonyms indignation and wrath are sometimes interchangeable, but indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful.

a comment that caused general indignation

When might ire be a better fit than wrath?

Although the words ire and wrath have much in common, ire, more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling.

cheeks flushed with ire

How do rage and fury relate to one another, in the sense of wrath?

Both rage and fury suggest loss of self-control from violence of emotion.

shook with rage

could not contain his fury

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 wrath Or, faced with the wrath of the huge Baby Boom generation — who tend to be voters and vociferous — will Congress act in time? — Terry Savage, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026 Anthropic has advocated for more stringent AI regulations — at times incurring the wrath of the Pentagon and White House — while OpenAI has pushed a more hands-off approach. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026 Because Cleveland was the visiting club, Steven Kwan drew his wrath. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026 After a short setup on Eternia, He-Man and his buddies escape the wrath of Skeletor by using the key to visit Earth. — Jeffrey Ressner, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrath

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrath

Noun

The quick exit has led to a reckoning within South Korea's football world — fueled by intense anger over accusations of favoritism and cronyism involved in the appointment of coach Hong Myung-bo.

— Juliana Kim, NPR, 16 July 2026
Welcome to the strange phenomenon of people expressing anger or helplessness to online content creators or writers who don’t acknowledge their specific lifestyles or limitations.

— Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 16 July 2026

Definition of anger

Noun

Wildfires have also scorched thousands of acres in Arizona, which led Phoenix to ban all fireworks on city property including parks and within 1 mile of nature preserves, with punishments including $2,500 fines.

— Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
The parliament in England created laws against Quakers, forbidding them to worship freely, charging them with punishments for refusing to take oaths or refusing to remove their hats.

— Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 3 July 2026

Definition of punishment

Noun

Any suggestion that the hot hit of spice barely disguising a watery want of flavor was all too fitting a symbol for this phase in Madonna’s career would have been met with indignation.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
Advertisements extending beyond traditional commercial breaks to include live presenter endorsements and real-time odds promotions have sparked a fresh wave of indignation, with politicians across the political spectrum calling for tighter controls.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026

Definition of indignation

Noun

Both could have added to their tallies by converting penalties over the past five weeks, but Messi has missed two during this World Cup and Mbappe one.

— Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 18 July 2026
If convicted, the Henrichsens face a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

— Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Definition of penalty

Noun

Ultimately, the reassurances about community resources and air quality failed to quell the fury inside the room as residents took the microphone during the Q&A section and repeatedly expressed feelings of betrayal and mistrust.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Richards channeled his jealousy into an elemental fury of a song.

— René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026

Definition of fury

Noun

What instrument could be a more natural choice to express a profound sense of rage, angst, and uncertainty?

— Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 16 July 2026
When Claudia’s ghost rips into Louis and Lestat with a miasma of rage and despair, Anderson and Reid’s eyes search for each other across the room, reflecting the unexpected agony of this experience and the regret of putting Claudia through this.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 15 July 2026

Definition of rage

Noun

Porto by Mosquito brings one of the more refined culinary expressions to the area, with a beachfront setting and a Peruvian-fusion approach that fits Las Terrenas’ international mood.

— Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
Despite their celebratory mood, Lucky can’t quite shake the feeling that something is on the verge of going horribly awry.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 July 2026

Definition of mood

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“Wrath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrath. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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