on the warpath

Cultural  

1. From a Native American expression for war, to be “on the warpath” is to be exceedingly angry and to be inclined to take some hostile action: “Watch out! John is on the warpath today.”

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on the warpath Idioms  

1. Furious and on a hostile course of action, as in When the meat wasn't delivered, the chef went on the warpath. This expression was an English translation of a Native American term that literally means “a path used by a war party.” Go on the war path thus meant “go to battle.” It was used in this way by James Fenimore Cooper in The Deerslayer (1841); its present hyperbolic use dates from the late 1800s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

on the warpath

First used by Ottoman military "mehter" bands to frighten and demoralise the enemy, cymbals were a useful tool for an empire on the warpath.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

"He'd go out of the house and be able to start a row over some perceived lack of service - he'd go on the warpath," Ms Doyle said.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2022

Since returning from health and safety protocols, a fully rested Jackson has been on the warpath, reeling in sack after sack.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2021

Italy’s rising star lost his way for a while but he’s back on the warpath again.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 28, 2017

“Mom’s gonna be on the warpath at any moment.”

From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos

Related Words

• desperate
• enraged
• fierce
• frantic
• frenetic
• frenzied
• incensed
• livid
• raging
• vehement
• violent