hit the ceiling

Cultural  

1. To become extremely angry: “When Corey found out someone had stolen his CD player, he really hit the ceiling.”

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hit the ceiling Idioms  

1. Also, hit the roof. Explode in anger, as in Jane hit the ceiling when she saw her grades, or Dad hit the roof when he didn't get his usual bonus. The first expression dates from the early 1900s; the second is a version of a 16th-century locution, up in the house roof or house-top, meaning “enraged.”

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Example Sentences

Miller reportedly hit the ceiling, furious that arrests aren't widespread and indiscriminate.

From Salon • Jun. 11, 2025

“Within an instant, they hit the ceiling of the cabin and dropped right back onto the floor.”

From New York Times • May 22, 2024

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Jokat revealed that people had hit the ceiling with such force "some of the roof panels were broken".

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2024

Initial information suggests that humidity had triggered the landslide, which hit the ceiling of the shrine and caused it to collapse, the civil defence service said in a statement.

From Reuters • Aug. 21, 2022

It hit the ceiling, broke up, and fell disembodied back into the room.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy