wrath
1 Americannoun
-
strong, stern, or fierce anger; deeply resentful indignation; ire.
- Synonyms:
- choler, fury, resentment, rage
-
vengeance or punishment as the consequence of anger.
adjective
noun
noun
-
angry, violent, or stern indignation
-
divine vengeance or retribution
-
archaic a fit of anger or an act resulting from anger
adjective
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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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.
"I do wonder how I'll view the Cape Wrath trail now," she said.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
In “Aguirre, the Wrath of God,” hundreds of little monkeys invaded the raft where Aguirre is half dead, drifting on the Amazon.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026
Herzog, already a giant of New German Cinema with movies including “Aguirre, the Wrath of God” and “Stroszek” under his belt, revered Murnau’s film.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2024
Some of the other film titles added to the National Film Registry are “Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan,” “My Own Private Idaho,” “Spy Kids,” “No Country for Old Men” and “Beverly Hills Cop.”
From Salon • Dec. 17, 2024
Your son Dale will go south in Wraith, past Cape Wrath and the Broken Arm, all along the coast of Dome as far as the Arbor.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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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.