Synonym Chooser

How does the noun indignation differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of indignation are anger, fury, ire, rage, and wrath. While all these words mean "an intense emotional state induced by displeasure," indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful.

a comment that caused general indignation

When can anger be used instead of indignation?

The synonyms anger and indignation are sometimes interchangeable, but anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.

tried to hide his anger

When could ire be used to replace indignation?

The words ire and indignation are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ire, more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling.

cheeks flushed with ire

How are the words rage and fury related as synonyms of indignation?

Both rage and fury suggest loss of self-control from violence of emotion.

shook with rage
could not contain his fury

When is it sensible to use wrath instead of indignation?

While the synonyms wrath and indignation are close in meaning, wrath is likely to suggest a desire or intent to punish or get revenge.

I feared her wrath if I was discovered

Examples 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 indignation Advertisement Americans who have had their run-ins with the health insurance industry, never mind our own inadequate welfare state, won’t have trouble feeling indignation. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024 If pressed, some argue the indignation over the defacement itself betrays how little our culture values the planet when compared to inanimate works of canvas and pigment. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2024 Working with great discipline and with zero timidity, the writer-director is unafraid to provoke feminist indignation by revealing Romy’s complicity in her subjugation. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 Righteous indignation is the language of the day, and predictions about the death of the transatlantic alliance abound. Jeremy Shapiro, Foreign Affairs, 15 May 2018 See all Example Sentences for indignation 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indignation
Noun
  • According to a press release, with each playlist, Swift has chosen songs from her own catalog that fit each stage of a breakup: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
    Marina Watts, People.com, 29 Nov. 2024
  • Research shows that writing allows individuals to process complex feelings, such as anger, sadness or disappointment, with greater depth and clarity.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Many of those rescued in Israeli operations were recovered dead, causing outrage in Israel.
    Tamar Michaelis, CNN, 20 Nov. 2024
  • Resistance media benefitted enormously from outrage engagement during Trump's first term, but the dynamics are different now.
    Sara Fischer, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Hell hath no fury like a librarian scorned in the book banning wars Martin has two children, six cats and a dog.
    Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2024
  • Hurricane Milton followed the catastrophic Hurricane Helene, which unleashed its fury upon the southern Appalachians roughly two weeks ago, after making landfall as a Category 4 storm in Florida's Big Bend — the most powerful storm on record for the region.
    Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 10 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Laura Donnelly is phenomenal as the older Helen, who is moved by a hardened, ancient wrath.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024
  • Although Blasphemous Edict won’t be able to clear the board against the most extreme go-wide decks (where wraths are often the most needed), being a sacrifice effect gets around annoying protection like Indestructible.
    Jennifer Maas, Variety, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Golf hoodies are all the rage, and this comes in 22 different colorful options.
    Dylan Reffe, USA TODAY, 30 Nov. 2024
  • Lululemon Women’s Tear-away Mid-rise Track Pants $128 $69 at Lululemon I was born in 1989 and fondly remember when tearaways were all the rage in the late ‘90s.
    Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The scene modes can and cannot work depending on the mood of the phone’s processing.
    Prakhar Khanna, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
  • The recent rut put Locksley in a contemplative mood.
    Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 29 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near indignation

Cite this Entry

“Indignation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indignation. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on indignation

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