irate

adjective

ī-ˈrāt 

ˈī-ˌrāt,

i-ˈrāt

1

: roused to ire

an irate taxpayer

2

: arising from anger

irate words

irately adverb

irateness noun

Synonyms

• angered
• angry
• apoplectic
• ballistic
• cheesed off [chiefly British]
• choleric
• enraged
• foaming
• fuming
• furious
• hopping
• horn-mad
• hot
• incensed
• indignant
• inflamed
• enflamed
• infuriate
• infuriated
• ireful
• livid
• mad
• outraged
• rabid
• rankled
• riled
• riley
• roiled
• shirty [chiefly British]
• sore
• steamed up
• steaming
• teed off
• ticked
• wrathful
• wroth

Examples of irate in a Sentence

Irate viewers called the television network to complain about the show.

the big increase in cable rates prompted a flood of irate calls and letters

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, the man became more irate and was escorted out by multiple Asheville Police officers. —Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 14 Mar. 2025

Clad in a dark jacket, an irate Duterte protested his arrest after arrival in Manila and asked authorities the legal basis of his detention. —Jim Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2025

And right now, much of the country is irate at the U.S. over tariffs that took effect just after midnight Tuesday. —Josh Fellman, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2025

As much as irate Mavs fans do not want to see this, this hike is consistent with other clubs around the NBA. —Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for irate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

irate

adjective

ī-ˈrāt 

: angry sense 1a

irately adverb

irateness noun