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View synonyms for anger

anger

[ ang-ger ]

noun

  1. a strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence aroused by a wrong; wrath; ire.

    Synonyms: spleen, bile, choler, exasperation, resentment

  2. Chiefly British Dialect. pain or smart, as of a sore.
  3. Obsolete. grief; trouble.


verb (used with object)

  1. to arouse anger or wrath in.

    Synonyms: infuriate, exasperate, irritate, vex, displease, madden, incense, enrage

  2. Chiefly British Dialect. to cause to smart; inflame.

verb (used without object)

  1. to become angry:

    He angers with little provocation.

anger

/ ˈæŋɡə /

noun

  1. a feeling of great annoyance or antagonism as the result of some real or supposed grievance; rage; wrath


verb

  1. tr to make angry; enrage

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Other Words From

  • anger·less adjective
  • un·angered adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of anger1

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English, from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse angr “sorrow, grief,” akin to Old High German angust ( German Angst “fear”), Latin angor “anguish”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of anger1

C12: from Old Norse angr grief; related to Old English enge, Old High German engi narrow, Latin angere to strangle

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Idioms and Phrases

see more in sorrow than in anger .

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Synonym Study

Anger, fury, indignation, rage imply deep and strong feelings aroused by injury, injustice, wrong, etc. Anger is the general term for a sudden violent displeasure: a burst of anger. Indignation implies deep and justified anger: indignation at cruelty or against corruption. Rage is vehement anger: rage at being frustrated. Fury is rage so great that it resembles insanity: the fury of an outraged lover.

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Example Sentences

Former eBay chief executive officer Devin Wenig, who isn’t charged, last year texted a colleague expressing worry and anger over the unflattering coverage.

From Fortune

The most successful trickle-up campaigns of the last decade have been inspired not by fear, or anger, but by excitement.

From Fortune

Martin Luther King’s struggle for civil rights was motivated as much by anger at injustice as by love.

Additionally, if your family suffers from a lack of privilege, it’s essential to talk about how to handle the anger that comes along with discrimination.

One source of anger for the defund movement was that Faulconer had proposed an SDPD spending increase, even though the city’s budget was shrinking from the pandemic.

If Christie was not a presidential aspirant with an anger-management problem, the episode might not even make the list.

Neither is unnerved by her apparent anger, nor do they see her as threatening.

Most of us have an unhealthy relationship with anger, writes author and psychologist Andrea Brandt.

But instead of just quietly releasing a statement through a publicist, she broadcasted her anger far and wide.

Anger often manifests in withholders as another self-destructive but more socially acceptable feeling or behavior, like anxiety.

Instinctively he tried to hide both pain and anger—it could only increase this distance that was already there.

Then she put her anger from her; put from her, too, the insolence and scorn with which so lavishly she had addressed him hitherto.

Say that my anger has no bounds—that my heart is breaking—will break and kill me, if he persists in his ingratitude and cruelty.

All these exhibitions of temper and anger result from what I have pointed out to your Majesty in many other letters.

Uncle David felt for a moment so transported with anger, that I think he was on the point of striking him.

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More About Anger

What does anger mean?

Anger is a human emotion that involves intense displeasure and aggression as a response to an aggravating event, as in My mother was filled with anger after she found out that I had snuck out to the party.

The word anger is also used to mean to make someone feel anger or to begin to feel anger oneself, as in That grouchy old man next door angers easily. Anger also refers to making someone else feel anger, as in The disrespect shown by the new recruit angered the drill instructor.

Anger is a strong human emotion, and you’ve likely experienced anger in your own life. If you have ever felt your heart pumping strongly and wanted to scream or punch a wall, you’ve felt anger. You might feel anger when someone insults you, takes something from you, hurts one of your loved ones, or does something that you really don’t like. Feeling anger is completely normal, although how you respond to anger can make a big difference.

Angry is used to describe feeling anger, as in I try to avoid angry dogs.

Example: The silly jester was an expert at calming the king’s anger.

Where does anger come from?

The first records of anger come from around 1150. It ultimately comes from the Old Norse word angr, meaning “grief or sorrow.” It is related to the Old English enge, which comes from the Latin verb angere, meaning “to strangle.”

While anger may cause you to want to strangle someone, most people are able to control their anger in other, healthy ways. Usually, experts recommend that you try to calm yourself or to channel your anger into something productive, like journaling or taking a walk. Sometimes, a person just needs to release their anger by shouting, cursing, or punching a pillow. It is almost always a bad idea to suppress, that is holding in and ignoring, your anger because doing so can lead to anxiety, stress, or violent outbursts.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to anger?

  • angerless (adjective)
  • unangered (adjective)

What are some synonyms for anger?

What are some words that share a root or word element with anger

What are some words that often get used in discussing anger?

How is anger used in real life?

Anger is a common word used to describe a common emotion. Social media often causes people to feel anger.

Try using anger!

Is anger used correctly in the following sentence?

The protesters yelled about the law that caused their anger.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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