fume

¹ American  

[fyoom] / fyum /

noun

1. Often fumes any smokelike or vaporous exhalation from matter or substances, especially of an odorous or harmful nature.

   tobacco fumes; noxious fumes of carbon monoxide.

2. an irritable or angry mood.

   He has been in a fume ever since the contract fell through.

   Synonyms:

   storm, agitation, fury, rage

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verb (used with object)

fumed, fuming

1. to emit or exhale, as fumes or vapor.

   giant stacks fuming their sooty smoke.

2. to treat with or expose to fumes.

verb (used without object)

fumed, fuming

1. to rise, or pass off, as fumes.

   smoke fuming from an ashtray.

2. to emit fumes.

   The leaky pipe fumed alarmingly.

3. to show fretful irritation or anger.

   She always fumes when the mail is late.

   Synonyms:

   fret, chafe

fumé ² American  

[fy-mey] / füˈmeɪ /

adjective

French.

1. of food, cured or flavored by exposure to smoke; smoked.

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fume British  

/ fjuːm /

verb

1. (intr) to be overcome with anger or fury; rage

2. to give off (fumes) or (of fumes) to be given off, esp during a chemical reaction

3. (tr) to subject to or treat with fumes; fumigate

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noun

1. (often plural) a pungent or toxic vapour

2. a sharp or pungent odour

3. a condition of anger

fume Scientific  

/ fyo̅o̅m /

1. Smoke, vapor, or gas, especially if irritating, harmful, or smelly.

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Other Word Forms

• fumeless adjective
• fumelike adjective
• fumer noun
• fumingly adverb
• fumy adjective
• unfuming adjective

Etymology

Origin of fume

1350–1400; Middle English < Old French fum < Latin fūmus smoke, steam, fume

Explanation

To fume is to feel or express great anger. You would fume if your teacher accused you of cheating when you didn't. As a verb, fume is usually used figuratively to mean "to feel very angry," whereas as a noun, it is used more as its Latin root fumus "smoke, steam, vapor." A strong-smelling gas, smoke or vapor is also called a fume. In cartoons, when a character is fuming, it is often drawn with fumes coming out of its ears. You may fume about the inconsiderate person who sits in the car with the engine running, spewing clouds of exhaust fumes.

Example Sentences

Angel now looks like Italy’s PM and parishioners fume.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 3, 2026

However, exposures have led to diagnoses of brain injury, while families of some crew have blamed fume events for life-threatening illnesses, the Journal has reported.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025

Responding to the Weiland suit, Boeing’s lawyers echoed the industry’s longtime position that the research into the health effects of fume events is inconclusive.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

The effects of fume events are often fleeting, mild or present no symptoms at all.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

Ranofer, flushing hot as he coaxed the flame, could only fume at his own bungling.

From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Related Words

• bristle
• chafe
• rave
• seethe