Synonyms

go ballistic

Idioms

Become extremely upset or angry, as in Dad will go ballistic when he sees you dented the new car. This expression, a variation on go berserk, originally alluded to a guided missile going out of control. [Slang; mid-1980s]

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.

Then, it was Hopkins turn to go ballistic on the bench.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 22, 2024

Something small, like a guy blows a horn at me, and man, my insides go ballistic.

From New York Times • Jan. 5, 2022

"Some parents would go ballistic, but as a foster parent, I thought, 'What's this all about?'"

From BBC • Sep. 19, 2020

The anger and resentment come out, which is why so many former child actors go ballistic.

From Fox News • Jun. 11, 2020

John would go ballistic when none of them showed up at band practice tomorrow.

From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio

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