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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 While Brian rode off to war, Ellen reluctantly returned to Leoch, fully aware of the wrath awaiting her from Colum in particular. — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026 None of these companies want to incur the wrath of this very vengeful president. — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 5 Oct. 2026 The county faced DeSantis’ wrath after local officials criticized his pro-development legislation and voters rejected his handpicked candidates at the ballot box in November 2024. — Liv Coleman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026 The storm also caused flooding in other shore communities like Bay Head, where the storm's wrath exposed jetties in the ocean that could not be seen before. — Christine Sloan, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrath

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrath

Noun

That anger essentially becomes Dylan’s oxygen by the end of the run.

— Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2026
The plot of Godzilla Minus Zero is a whirl of characters trying to redeem themselves for their past mistakes, or feeling so much anger toward an aggressor that their own moral compasses go awry.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of anger

Noun

Despite Newsom’s push to commute all death sentences, capital punishment remains legal in California and prosecutors can continue seeking that punishment.

— Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
Another factor that influences recess is when schools deny students recess time as a form of punishment – a policy that some scholars and educators are trying to block through legislation.

— Louisa Penfold, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of punishment

Noun

Hertl's second power-play goal of the night — and the second allowed by the Penguins' penalty kill at home — sent Pittsburgh to a third straight loss.

— CBS News, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
When lawmakers meet next year, the Texas Cannabis Policy Center is focused on reducing the penalty for possessing marijuana.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of penalty

Noun

There’s a vast gulf between the fear and fury of New Yorkers and the indolence of many leaders, who continue to treat e-bikes as little more than a minor annoyance.

— Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2026
As a most un-saintlike Mother Teresa, Dueñas gives voice to a seething, inconsolable fury, an assertion of pure, ferocious will, that exposes the preciousness of Ambrossi and Calvo’s poetic and structural conceits.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of fury

Noun

The interview stirred up outrage among rights and activist groups that were behind the uprising against al-Bashir.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Nov. 2026
The mayor faced voter outrage over the Palisades fire, which broke out in January 2025, destroying thousands of homes and leaving 12 people dead.

— David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of outrage

Noun

Anya Taylor-Joy set the mood for the evening as the first arrival on the red carpet, where talent posed in front of Chris Burden’s famed public art installation, Urban Light.

— Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 8 Nov. 2026
With the mood set, our hosts, Stéphane Bern and Arianne Alcorta, both famous television personalities, kicked off the requisite jovial banter.

— Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of mood

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wrap-ups

wrath

wrathful

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“Wrath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrath. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of wrath

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