wrath
noun
strong, stern, or fierce anger; deeply resentful indignation; ire.
wrath
1 American
[rath, rahth, rawth]
/ ræθ, rɑθ, rɔθ /
noun
-
strong, stern, or fierce anger; deeply resentful indignation; ire.
- Synonyms:
- choler, fury, resentment, rage
-
vengeance or punishment as the consequence of anger.
adjective
Wrath
2
American
[rath]
/ ræθ /
noun
wrath
1
British
/ rɒθ /
noun
-
angry, violent, or stern indignation
-
divine vengeance or retribution
-
archaic a fit of anger or an act resulting from anger
adjective
Wrath
2
British
/ rɔːθ, rɒθ /
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wrath
First recorded before 900; (for the noun) Middle English wraththe, Old English wrǣththo, equivalent to wrāth wroth + -tho -th 1; (for the adjective) variant of wroth by association with the noun
Explanation
Wrath is great anger that expresses itself in a desire to punish someone: Noah saw the flood as a sign of the wrath of God. Wrath is also used figuratively of things that behave in a violent way: Earthquakes are the wrath of the sea. This noun and the corresponding adjective wrathful are in literary use but are formal or old-fashioned words, that crop up in fantasy fiction or movies set in prehistoric times.
Vocabulary lists containing wrath
Emotions on Display
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Words inspired by "Inside Out"
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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.
State Farm is the second company to face the legal wrath of California regulators over the disaster.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
But Kabila still has major business interests inside the country, despite efforts by the government to seize them, meaning his allies could risk the wrath of US sanctions if they continue to work with him.
From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026
The Godzilla movies, whether American or Japanese, are metaphors for the ravages of warmongering and the despondence of those powerless to escape its wrath.
From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026
Tax preparers often bear the brunt of a couple’s wrath.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026
His only hope was that her impending wrath would not last long.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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.
