tirade
Americannoun
-
a long angry speech or denunciation
-
rare prosody a speech or passage dealing with a single theme
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of tirade
1795–1805; < French: literally, a stretch, (continuous) pulling < Italian tirata, noun use of feminine of tirato, past participle of tirare to draw, pull, fire (a shot), of obscure origin
Explanation
A tirade is a speech, usually consisting of a long string of violent, emotionally charged words. Borrow and lose your roommate’s clothes one too many times, and you can bet you’ll be treated to a heated tirade. The noun tirade is related to the Italian word tirata, which means "volley." So imagine a very angry person lobbing harsh words and strings of profanity in your direction when you want to remember what tirade means. Although, tirades don't necessarily have to include bad words — any long, drawn out speech or epic declaration can be called a tirade.
Vocabulary lists containing tirade
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Diary of a Young Girl
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
A disheveled man sick of endless waiting launched into an eloquent tirade ending with Samuel Beckett -- "You know what happened in the story of Godot? He never came."
From Barron's ● Feb. 16, 2026
In the years since it aired, Banks’ infamous tirade, “I was rooting for you! We were all rooting for you!”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026
The tirade went viral within hours, sparking widespread discussion, memes and commentary across Twitter/X, TikTok and Instagram.
From Salon ● Nov. 15, 2025
Reichert walked out of the bar to the crowded parking lot, and Wilson continued his tirade.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2025
I turned around so I could face him and was met with a fusillade of saliva as he continued his tirade.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
In a better world, perhaps he’d have had a change of heart and repented of his increasingly intolerant tirades.
From Salon ● May 8, 2026
The more immediate question is whether Warsh can survive his first months in office without the tirades and confrontation Powell endured for years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
Few if any of even Kim Jong-un’s looniest tirades match these posts for their wild-eyed savagery.
From Slate ● Apr. 6, 2026
Eye-popping tirades in his native Serbian towards them were a regular sight.
From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2025
“Pudge is done with staring out the window, and I’m done with going on tirades about it, but he’s a terrible teacher, and you won’t convince me otherwise.”
From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green
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.
