anger
Americannoun
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a strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence aroused by a wrong; wrath; ire.
- Synonyms:
- spleen, bile, choler, exasperation, resentment
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Chiefly British Dialect. pain or smart, as of a sore.
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Obsolete. grief; trouble.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
Usage
What does anger mean? Anger is a human emotion that involves intense displeasure and aggression as a response to an aggravating event, as in My mother was filled with anger after she found out that I had snuck out to the party. The word anger is also used to mean to make someone feel anger or to begin to feel anger oneself, as in That grouchy old man next door angers easily. Anger also refers to making someone else feel anger, as in The disrespect shown by the new recruit angered the drill instructor. Anger is a strong human emotion, and you’ve likely experienced anger in your own life. If you have ever felt your heart pumping strongly and wanted to scream or punch a wall, you’ve felt anger. You might feel anger when someone insults you, takes something from you, hurts one of your loved ones, or does something that you really don’t like. Feeling anger is completely normal, although how you respond to anger can make a big difference. Angry is used to describe feeling anger, as in I try to avoid angry dogs. Example: The silly jester was an expert at calming the king’s anger.
Synonym Usage
Anger, fury, indignation, rage imply deep and strong feelings aroused by injury, injustice, wrong, etc. Anger is the general term for a sudden violent displeasure: a burst of anger. Indignation implies deep and justified anger: indignation at cruelty or against corruption. Rage is vehement anger: rage at being frustrated. Fury is rage so great that it resembles insanity: the fury of an outraged lover.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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angersimple
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angerssimple
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have angeredperfect
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has angeredperfect
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am angeringprogressive
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are angeringprogressive
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is angeringprogressive
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have been angeringperfect progressive
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has been angeringperfect progressive
Past
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angeredsimple
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had angeredperfect
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was angeringprogressive
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were angeringprogressive
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had been angeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of anger
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English, from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse angr “sorrow, grief,” akin to Old High German angust ( German Angst “fear”), Latin angor “anguish”
Explanation
If you’re mad about something and you’re not going to take it anymore, you’re feeling anger, a strong emotion you experience when you think someone has done you wrong. If you want to scream and kick, you’re feeling anger. Anger is a powerful emotion that people feel from time to time when someone or something frustrates or annoys them. One of the roots of anger is the Greek word ankhone for "a strangling," which is a perfect description of the way anger actually feels. Indeed, anger can make you feel like strangling someone. Don’t do it! If you’re feeling a lot of anger, it’s good to take a nice, deep breath.
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.
See Examples For:
We went from anger to sadness to acceptance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
But when Good was killed, our anger was tinged with fear.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
The students' protest has resonated with a large section of middle-class India, cutting across identities of religion, caste or sectors, with people voicing anger about the lack of educational opportunities and jobs in India.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
While visits are traditional for reigning MLB champions, the latest has sparked debate and anger, especially among the Dodgers' vast, long-standing and loyal Latino fan base.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Three hundred years ago, everybody "knew" that anger was controlled by the spleen.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Perhaps what angers him most is that officers may never know the scale of what went on at Save A Paw.
From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2026
Sherrilyn Ifill: It angers me, obviously, but I also often get a chuckle out of it.
From Slate ● Jan. 6, 2025
That’s why it angers Watkins to hear some dismiss concerns about so-called lower levels of lead.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2024
“This angers Big Milk. Say, ‘No, you need to pasteurize milk, it’s a lot less healthy for you.’
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2024
It angers him, and it steels his determination to push northward.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
The chain on Monday announced that Masino would step down as CEO on Aug. 10, following a logo change last year that angered conservatives and loyal customers.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Musk can be counted among the many conservatives who were angered by Nolan’s decision to cast Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and Elliot Page as Sinon.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
The juror, who identified herself only as Syrena, told reporters that she uses the chatbot herself and was angered “that they were putting his character down for just being human.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
This angered locals like 34-year-old accountant Daniel Sroka, who said the police were being disingenuous.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
“Unfortunately, the road ahead is full of trials and tribulations. You have angered the witch and now you must pay for your transgressions.”
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
France’s Dassault wanted to lead the partnership, angering other companies such as Airbus that have a big presence in Germany.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Every time the narrative comes close to truly condemning children’s access to devices, the movie pulls back in fear of isolating or angering the audience.
From Salon ● Jun. 21, 2026
The bishops, often nervous about angering the public at a time when church attendance continues its steady decline, have to think carefully about whether to challenge these celebrity priests.
From Slate ● Jun. 8, 2026
In an interview with an Argentine daily, Venezi, 36, insinuated that jobs in the opera orchestra were "practically passed down from father to son", angering musicians.
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026
Do I open the door and risk angering the smith by barging in, or do I go back to the Commandant without a response when she specifically demanded one?
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
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.
