rage 1 of 2

noun

ˈrāj How to pronounce rage (audio)
Definition of ragenext
1
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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2
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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3
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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4
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rage

2 of 2

verb

1
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
2
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
James Baldwin rose to prominence as a novelist, essayist, and public intellectual at a time when psychoanalysis was all the rage. — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 4 Aug. 2026 The three women at the center of the narrative are raging in very different ways, but they’re all becoming slowly consumed by their rage. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
The raging seas were thundering and smoking in foam-laced fury at its base. — James D. Oxley, Outdoor Life, 5 Aug. 2026 Prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket have long garnered a reputation for allowing users to make all kinds of ethically dubious bets, from the outcomes of deadly conflicts to raging wildfires. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rage
  1. frenzy
  2. anger
  3. craze
  4. dementia
  5. storm
  6. steam
  7. rampage
  8. indignation
Noun
  • That is, of course, completely unnecessary as Nolan’s version has broken box-office records and caused an ongoing ticket frenzy.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026
  • This has the support of Israel’s far right government, which faces a possible loss of power in an October election, and that’s led to a frenzy of settlement activity.
    — Greg Dixon, NPR, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of frenzy
Noun
  • One staffer who is still at the CDC said much of her anger is tied up in knowing that Kennedy’s feelings about vaccines are similar to the shooter’s.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Many kids arrived with anger and trauma from living in broken homes.
    — Sharon Chin, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of anger
Noun
  • Ample Entertainment, the production company behind series such as Netflix’s Amy Bradley Is Missing and HBO’s The Invisible Pilot, is getting into the YouTube craze.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Large white feathers wafted in the breeze—Paris, after all, drove the 19th-century ostrich feather craze that swept the fashion world.
    — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of craze
Noun
  • Kan finds genuine optimism in the diminishing stigma surrounding dementia, which encourages earlier diagnoses and more open conversations, empowering individuals to live more actively with the condition.
    — Sue Peschin, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Along with all these obligations, Tonina is taking care of her bedridden mother, who is suffering from dementia.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of dementia
Verb
  • Earlier this year, a gunman from California stormed a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and exchanged fire with Secret Service agents before being subdued.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Esports is becoming big business in the Gulf and celebrations were in order when Abu Dhabi's Nigma Galaxy team stormed to the Esports World Cup Dota 2 quarter-finals in Paris, winning nine out of ten matches.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of storm
Verb
  • Sometimes holding a dispenser over a steaming hot beverage can cause condensation to form around the pouring spout.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The chiles are tumbled over high heat to scorch the skins, then dumped out into a box to steam.
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of steam
Noun
  • The rampage caused more property damage, additional crashes between other vehicles and ultimately injuries to three people who were treated at a hospital.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Taylor is now scheduled to stand trial later this year; he was accused of attacking three victims in a racially motivated rampage in downtown Santa Monica in 2023.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of rampage
Noun
  • Mind you, Miss Manners agrees with your indignation at this fraudulent maneuver.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
  • And Anne Hathaway, in a bravura performance, situates Penelope on an emotional precipice, caught between indecision and indignation, between yearning for her husband and a palpable disgust with the alternatives.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Definition of indignation

Phrases Containing rage

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rag dolls
rage
raged
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Cite this Entry

“Rage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rage. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rage

Nglish: Translation of rage for Spanish Speakers

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