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rage

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun rage differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of rage are anger, fury, indignation, ire, and wrath. While all these words mean "an intense emotional state induced by displeasure," rage and fury suggest loss of self-control from violence of emotion.

shook with rage
could not contain his fury

Where would anger be a reasonable alternative to rage?

The words anger and rage can be used in similar contexts, but anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.

tried to hide his anger

When can indignation be used instead of rage?

While in some cases nearly identical to rage, indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful.

a comment that caused general indignation

In what contexts can ire take the place of rage?

While the synonyms ire and rage are close in meaning, ire, more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling.

cheeks flushed with ire

When is it sensible to use wrath instead of rage?

The synonyms wrath and rage are sometimes interchangeable, but wrath is likely to suggest a desire or intent to punish or get revenge.

I feared her wrath if I was discovered

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rage
Noun
Disgusted by everything, Lowen promises to expose the truth and steal Verity’s husband and career, ultimately showing Jeremy his wife’s confession and sending him into a fit of rage. — Glamour, 2 Oct. 2026 Here was my chance to get out of London, this counterfeit of death with its everywhere rage and its moribund culture and its smug population and its streets steeped in resentment and the sky pressing down like a chloroform rag. — Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
The department identified the deceased as a resident of Lancaster County, which is the epicenter of a raging outbreak that began in late April. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 30 Sep. 2026 The surf was raging, completely enveloping the craft with only the swaying masts visible in the blackness of the night. — CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rage
Noun
  • But sports markets are the main drivers of the prediction frenzy.
    — Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The sports drink, launched in 2022 by two of YouTube’s biggest stars, manufactured a frenzy.
    — Keren Novack, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Republican lawmakers -- many of them in tough election contests where soaring fuel costs are driving voter anger -- praised the agreement.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The defeat came amid protests sparked by an elderly woman’s eviction, and could deepen public anger and fuel speculation about early elections.
    — Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • ICOs were the dominant crypto craze of the late 2010s, creating the capital that eventually went into decentralized finance (crypto’s version of what happens on Wall Street) and the booming NFT market.
    — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Amid the ongoing loafer craze, the brand, best known for its men’s offering, is ready to court more women with its collection of comfortable classics.
    — Katie Abel, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Brain disease in dogs and people Our work on aging dogs all began with a desire to develop better treatments for dementia.
    — Julie Moreno, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
  • However, among individuals who already had dementia, glucosamine users had a higher mortality compared to similar non-users.
    — Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, after passengers stormed the cockpit and wrenched back controlfrom the attacker, who Israeli officials suspect was trying to crash the plane.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Like magic, upon the proclamation, arm lift, and beat drop, pouring rain storms down upon the audience.
    — Miki Hellerbach, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Shawn, his parents, and the stranger were sitting around the dining table, their bowls of rice steaming before them, when the knock came.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • As America steams headlong into November, working-class folks are still at loggerheads with its political class.
    — Jim Beaugez, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The rampage-causing Godzilla is bigger than ever this time and heads to New York City for a global action epic.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026
  • And, of course, there won’t be many people who want to defend someone in that position — or, indeed, listen to any hard-luck stories — now the details have been outlined in court about his motorway rampage.
    — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In the end, director Duong, recognizing Aunt Hanh’s residual indignation, lances that boil.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 4 Oct. 2026
  • But a new wave of indignation swept Spain when Abascal, who uses a wheelchair, was carried on a stretcher from her apartment after police cordoned off the street.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rage. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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