Synonyms

fly off the handle

Cultural

To become suddenly enraged: “When Jack's father found out about the car, he really flew off the handle.”

fly off the handle Idioms

Lose one's temper, as in Tom flies off the handle at the slightest setback. This metaphoric expression alludes to the loosened head of a hammer flying off after a blow. [Early 1800s]

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.

fly off the handle

He was estranged from many members of his family, with one saying he would "fly off the handle at anything".

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2025

“I fly off the handle and scream. The next day I can’t remember what made me mad.”

From New York Times ● Nov. 12, 2021

That doesn’t mean I don’t fly off the handle at times.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2021

It's difficult to be a director and fly off the handle.

From Salon ● Mar. 9, 2021

“Bri, let me ask you something. Promise not to fly off the handle, okay?”

From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas

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