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.
-
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
- angerless adjective
- unangered adjective
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”
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.
The move was met with anger and protests from South Koreans who feared it made them a bigger target, while China warned it could destabilise the region.
From BBC
On New Years' Eve - more than a year into their relationship - he came to her house and told her he was going for anger management counselling.
From BBC
These included sadness, fatigue, anxiety, low mood, tension, irritability, anger and difficulty falling asleep.
From Science Daily
Days later Redzepi responded to the allegations on social media, saying: "To those who have suffered under my leadership, my bad judgement, or my anger I am deeply sorry and I have worked to change."
From BBC
The union said the £580,000 decrease was unprecedented, and revealed the anger of its members a year on from the start of all-out industrial action in the city.
From BBC
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.
