RAGE Synonyms: 275 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

rage 1 of 2

noun

ˈrāj

Definition of rage next

as in frenzy

a state of wildly excited activity or emotion found her at home in a rage of scrubbing and cleaning in preparation for the rabbi's visit

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in anger

an intense emotional state of displeasure with someone or something boiling with rage at the waiter's insult, he demanded to see the manager

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as in craze

a practice or interest that is very popular for a short time there was time when playing with Frisbees was all the rage

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as in dementia

archaic a serious mental disorder that prevents one from living a safe and normal life the king's last years were spent in a lonely rage

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rage

2 of 2

verb

as in to storm

to express one's anger usually violently the series of bad calls prompted the coach to rage about the refereeing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to steam

to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger still raging about his assistant's burnt pies, the pastry cook forgot to add the egg whites to his cake batter

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Creamy fizzy drinks have become all the rage in the last several years. —

Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 10 Jan. 2025 Head coaches with offensive backgrounds are all the rage and Monken has shown an ability to adapt at both the college and NFL levels to the skill set of his quarterback and his personnel. —

Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025

Verb

As the fires raged across Los Angeles on Jan. 8, the day voting for this year’s nominees opened, the Film Academy extended the voting window through Jan. 14 with a plan to announce this year’s nominees on Jan. 19. —

Hilary Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 2025 These rapid-pace fires have exploded against a backdrop of extreme drought, lack of rain and howling Santa Ana winds, a dangerous combination that's proved deadly as the wildfires continue to rage. —

Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for rage

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rage

Noun

The First Lady arrived at Trump’s second inauguration wearing an outfit that sent social media into a frenzy, with many making comparisons to the character Carmen Sandiego.

— James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Jan. 2025
While sales were largely muted for most of the year, cheaper borrowing costs sparked a year-end buying frenzy in November.

— Jonathan Burgos, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025