rage

1 of 2

noun

ˈrāj How to pronounce rage (audio)
Synonyms of ragenext
1
a
: violent and uncontrolled anger
b
: a fit of violent wrath
c
archaic : insanity
2
: violent action (as of wind or sea)
3
: an intense feeling : passion
4
: a fad pursued with intense enthusiasm
was all the rage

rage

2 of 2

verb

raged; raging

intransitive verb

1
: to be in a rage
2
: to be in tumult
3
: to prevail uncontrollably

Synonyms

Noun

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for rage

anger, ire, rage, fury, indignation, wrath mean an intense emotional state induced by displeasure.

anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.

tried to hide his anger

ire, more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling.

cheeks flushed with ire

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

shook with rage
could not contain his fury

indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful.

a comment that caused general indignation

wrath is likely to suggest a desire or intent to punish or get revenge.

I feared her wrath if I was discovered

fashion, style, mode, vogue, fad, rage, craze mean the usage accepted by those who want to be up-to-date.

fashion is the most general term and applies to any way of dressing, behaving, writing, or performing that is favored at any one time or place.

the current fashion

style often implies a distinctive fashion adopted by people of taste.

a media baron used to traveling in style

mode suggests the fashion of the moment among those anxious to appear elegant and sophisticated.

slim bodies are the mode at this resort

vogue stresses the wide acceptance of a fashion.

short skirts are back in vogue

fad suggests caprice in taking up or in dropping a fashion.

last year's fad is over

rage and craze stress intense enthusiasm in adopting a fad.

Cajun food was the rage nearly everywhere for a time
crossword puzzles once seemed just a passing craze but have lasted

Examples of rage in a Sentence

Noun Her note to him was full of rage. He was shaking with rage. She was seized by a murderous rage. His rages rarely last more than a few minutes. Verb She raged about the injustice of their decision. The manager raged at the umpire. A storm was raging outside, but we were warm and comfortable indoors. The fire raged for hours.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The truth is, 2025 has been an anger-inducing experience for so many people that a simmering rage has been building all year. —Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 31 July 2025 This has unintended consequences when both Batel and Spock share a vision that sends Spock into a berserk rage. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 31 July 2025
Verb
The best analogue for this moment may be Trump’s online raging after the January 6, 2021, insurrection. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 22 July 2025 Flash floods are usually characterized by raging torrents after heavy rains. —Andrew Ford, AZCentral.com, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for rage

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin rabia, from Latin rabies rage, madness, from rabere to be mad; akin to Sanskrit rabhas violence

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rage was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing rage

Rhymes for rage

See All Rhymes for rage

Browse Nearby Words

rag doll
rage
rageful
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rage. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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Kids Definition

rage

1 of 2 noun
ˈrāj How to pronounce rage (audio)
1
a
: very strong and uncontrolled anger
b
: a fit of violent anger
2
: violent action (as of wind or sea)
3
: fad
the current rage

rage

2 of 2 verb
raged; raging
1
: to be in a rage
2
: to continue out of control
the fire raged for hours

Medical Definition

rage

noun
ˈrāj How to pronounce rage (audio)
: violent and uncontrolled anger

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