anger
Americannoun
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a strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence aroused by a wrong; wrath; ire.
- Synonyms:
- spleen, bile, choler, exasperation, resentment
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Chiefly British Dialect. pain or smart, as of a sore.
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Obsolete. grief; trouble.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
Usage
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.
Related Words
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.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of anger
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”
Explanation
If you’re mad about something and you’re not going to take it anymore, you’re feeling anger, a strong emotion you experience when you think someone has done you wrong. If you want to scream and kick, you’re feeling anger. Anger is a powerful emotion that people feel from time to time when someone or something frustrates or annoys them. One of the roots of anger is the Greek word ankhone for "a strangling," which is a perfect description of the way anger actually feels. Indeed, anger can make you feel like strangling someone. Don’t do it! If you’re feeling a lot of anger, it’s good to take a nice, deep breath.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Anger won’t solve our problems; it will only cause more.
From Salon • Jan. 2, 2026
Anger, judgment and/or “tough love” can feel cathartic in the moment, but that can leave people hurt and confused.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 23, 2025
"Don't Look Back in Anger, as one of the most famous songs by Oasis puts it so well," he said during the visit to Parliament on the second day of his state visit.
From BBC • Dec. 4, 2025
Anger had been growing, but what galvanised the movement was the death over a number of days in mid-September of eight women in a maternity ward of a hospital in the southern city of Agadir.
From BBC • Oct. 3, 2025
Anger buzzed through Luna’s body, from the top of her head to the bottoms of her feet.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
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.
