adjective
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of or relating to apoplexy
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informal furious
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of apoplectic
First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin apoplēcticus, from Greek apoplēktikós “pertaining to a (paralytic) stroke,” equivalent to apóplēkt(os) “struck down” (derivative of apoplḗssein ) + -ikos -ic
Explanation
Someone who is apoplectic is not just mad — they're so filled with rage, they can barely communicate. If your mother is apoplectic, you'd better hope it isn't over something you did. Apoplectic comes from a Greek word that means to "disable by a stroke." What is a stroke? The sudden loss of consciousness or control caused when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures or becomes blocked. When this happens, a person becomes apoplectic. This word also applies to someone who acts so upset, it is like he or she is having a stroke.
Vocabulary lists containing apoplectic
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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.
My remarks moved an apoplectic plaintiff’s lawyer to point across the room at his opposing counsel, leer in my direction, and ask, “So are you accusing me of colluding with him?”
From Slate ● Jan. 13, 2026
Beijing’s apoplectic response to Takaichi’s perceived intervention in China’s affairs has included intense personal attacks on the new prime minister, often linking her with the militarism that fueled Japan’s brutal conduct in World War II.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025
"Can you imagine if you've owned a Formula 1 team for 10 years and then another team rocks up and beats you? You would be apoplectic," Lowdon said.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2025
As late as 1987, when Ebert made Siskel apoplectic by giving a thumbs up to “Benji the Hunted” but not “Full Metal Jacket,” a sense of animosity lingered in the air.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2023
Representative James Jackson from Georgia was positively apoplectic that such a petition would even be considered by any serious deliberative body.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
