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 Part of the proposals would see Ofwat showing greater leniency towards Thames, whose performance has incurred the regulator's wrath on numerous occasions. — Ian King, CNBC, 1 July 2026 In Homer’s Odyssey, the Greek hero Odysseus must overcome tempests, temptations, mythical monsters, and divine wrath to sail home to the island of Ithaca after the Trojan War. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 July 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 By banning a cruise ship full of American LGBTQ+ travelers from docking in its country’s ports, Turkish authorities have drawn the wrath of Broadway’s formidable Patti LuPone. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrath

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrath

Noun

Winters prioritized strategic logic over acknowledging the profound emotional impact on his workforce, fostering fear and anger.

— Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Thousands of demonstrators massed across South African cities, venting anger at undocumented foreign nationals.

— Reuters, NBC news, 1 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

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
The video went viral, encapsulating the prevalent mood of indignation about official nonaction.

— Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026

Definition of indignation

Noun

Egypt defeated Australia 4-2 in a penalty-kick shootout Friday after the teams played to a 1-1 tie after 120 minutes in Arlington, Texas.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
After the penalty granted by VAR, Cristiano Ronaldo stepped into the box and scored his first carrer goal in a World Cup knockout match.

— Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026

Definition of penalty

Noun

Following fury from the English and Mexican Football Associations, FIFA may have to backtrack on its apparent plan to move the time of the England-Mexico game.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 July 2026
Still, if someone argued otherwise, Smith and his ilk would rage in fury.

— Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of fury

Noun

He’s been known to blow up legislation, make surprise nominations, rage-post about sitting Republican lawmakers and retaliate by endorsing their primary opponents.

— Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Maybe that's why, in a moment when the country feels eggshell brittle, riding has become such an essential outlet for me—a way to turn my rage into forward motion.

— Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026

Definition of rage

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wrap-ups

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wrathful

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“Wrath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrath. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of wrath

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