wrathful

adjective

wrath·​ful ˈrath-fəl How to pronounce wrathful (audio)
chiefly British ˈrȯth-
Synonyms of wrathfulnext
1
: filled with wrath : irate
2
: arising from, marked by, or indicative of wrath
wrathfully
ˈrath-fə-lē How to pronounce wrathful (audio)
chiefly British ˈrȯth-
adverb
wrathfulness noun

Synonyms of wrathful

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Examples of wrathful in a Sentence

in a wrathful voice she demanded to know what had happened
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.
His wife, Liz (Evan Rachel Wood), is a sneak preview of Debbie’s future, self-medicating with drugs, alcohol, and wrathful outbursts. — Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2026 Kratos may be an iconic game hero, but the 2018 God of War reboot miraculously turned the wrathful god into an actual character instead of just an avatar of divine destruction. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 1 May 2026 Athletes are no strangers to wrathful comments, of course. — Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026 The deathbed and post-death rituals include performing devotional prayers to peaceful and wrathful deities oneself. — Jue Liang, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrathful

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wrathful was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Wrath, Cape
wrathful
wrathfully
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wrathful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wrathful. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

wrathful

adjective
wrath·​ful ˈrath-fəl How to pronounce wrathful (audio)
1
: filled with wrath : very angry
2
: showing wrath
a wrathful expression
wrathfully
-fə-lē How to pronounce wrathful (audio)
adverb
wrathfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wrathful

Nglish: Translation of wrathful for Spanish Speakers

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