wrath

Definition of wrathnext
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Synonym Chooser

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 And farther north along Gleason Beach in Sonoma County, rapid erosion finally forced officials in 2020 to move a section of the road inland, to further avoid the ocean’s wrath. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026 The mood in the crowd was widespread anger and sadness — recalling the same outpour of wrath that shook the city for weeks after the killing of George Floyd in 2020, although without the widespread rioting that had occurred then. Jack Brook, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2026 Freedom of navigation is a core principle of international law, and the appetite of coastal countries to intervene – risking Russia’s wrath – is limited. The Week Uk, TheWeek, 18 Jan. 2026 Inside, the fire’s wrath spared nothing, marking nearly every surface with smoke residue. Jason Carroll, CNN Money, 18 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrath
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrath
Noun
  • But a reoccurring point of friction and, really, anger on my part is over the dishwashing and laundry at our house.
    R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Zelensky was forced to make a U-turn and acknowledge public anger.
    Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, said Clark deserved a tougher punishment, including being barred from practicing law in the state.
    Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Prosecutors in the case recommended the death penalty as punishment for Yoon, given the severity of his crimes.
    Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The Editorial Board should save its righteous indignation for some other topic.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Many of the musicians and audience members belonged to a generation that’s often stereotyped as languishing in apathy and isolation—but whose indignation about the suffering in Gaza has far outpaced that of other generations.
    Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • As Manchester United’s players fell to the floor on the referee’s whistle, Chelsea’s coalesced into an exhausted, joyous huddle in their own penalty area.
    Cerys Jones, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
  • One on Tomas Chancalay’s long-range curler in the 40th minute and Yeboah’s rip from near the penalty spot in the 46th.
    Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 22 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • This specialized canvas allowed Michaela McManus to fully explore the depths of her character’s fury.
    William Earl, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Republicans often couched their fury at speech restrictions — around right-wing cultural politics and COVID-19, in particular — as part of a broader critique of corporate power.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Despite efforts by festival leadership to keep the focus on cinema, the 2026 Berlinale has been defined as much by social media outrage and geopolitical debate as by the films themselves.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 Feb. 2026
  • That’s because a clause added at the last minute, which halves salaries for workers on leave due to injury or illness unrelated to work, generated outrage among opposition lawmakers and forced the government to make an amendment to the version of the bill that passed the Senate last week.
    Isabel Debre, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • White terrazzo marble floors with cracks that are certainly well earned by the likes of dancing stilettos, dropped Champagne bottles, and jade macaws thrown in rage.
    Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Derek had just killed a patient and channeled all his rage into a brutal fight.
    Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • That would seem to drive some urgency among Democrats, but many are not in a compromising mood to provide more dollars to immigration enforcement.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
  • The mood today was more tenuous, the industry crowd mulling in the lobby with cocktails, discussing the tail end of awards season and the controversy coming out of the Berlin Film Festival concerning politically cautious juror statements.
    Film Editor, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wrath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrath. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

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