furious
Americanadjective
-
full of fury, violent passion, or rage; extremely angry; enraged.
He was furious about the accident.
-
intensely violent, as wind or storms.
-
of unrestrained energy, speed, etc..
furious activity.
adjective
-
extremely angry or annoyed; raging
-
violent, wild, or unrestrained, as in speed, vigour, energy, etc
Other Word Forms
- furiously adverb
- furiousness noun
Etymology
Origin of furious
First recorded in 1300–50; a Middle English word from the Latin word furiōsus; see fury, -ous
Explanation
If you've ever been so angry you'd swear you felt your blood boiling, you could reasonably say that you were furious. The word basically means "full of fury," so you get the picture. Think about the angriest you've ever been. Now double it and you might be getting close to furious, from the Latin furiōsus, meaning "full of rage," which in turn comes from furia, "fury." Greek and Roman mythology had the Furies, who dispensed justice by harshly punishing criminals, sometimes driving them mad. They were merciless, fearsome, and feared, with snakes for hair and bloody eyes. When not on earth, they were tormenting the damned in Hell. Now, that's furious!
Vocabulary lists containing furious
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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Because of Winn-Dixie
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Mad Infinitum: Synonyms for "Angry"
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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.
By all accounts, Solanas was furious with Warhol for refusing to produce her written works for the stage or screen.
From Salon • Apr. 29, 2026
In 1957, a young Queen Elizabeth was sent to New York to placate a furious President Eisenhower after Britain, along with Israel and France, invaded Egypt without informing the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
Despite a furious bout of calls to government officials, the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeeping troops, permission for the Red Cross to advance didn’t come.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
The chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Dame Emily Thornberry, is furious with Sir Olly for failing to disclose what he knew to the committee when they asked specifically about Lord Mandelson's vetting.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
The wolf stared at him, a furious look painted across his long face, making Jack take an involuntary step backward.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
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.
