35 Idioms for Anger

Have you ever felt your temper flare and wished you had the perfect phrase to express that frustration? Idioms for anger capture those intense emotions in a way that can make your feelings relatable and vivid. Whether you’re dealing with a frustrating coworker or a misunderstanding with a friend, these expressions can help you articulate your thoughts more powerfully.

In this article, a treasure trove of idioms that not only convey anger but also add flair to your conversations. Get ready to explore phrases that resonate with your experiences and help you express your emotions with confidence!

Idioms for Anger

1. Hit the Roof

• Meaning: To become extremely angry or furious.
• In a Sentence: When she saw the mess in the kitchen, she hit the roof.
• Other Ways to Say: Blow a fuse, go through the roof, lose it.

2. Blow a Gasket

• Meaning: To become very angry suddenly.
• In a Sentence: He blew a gasket when he found out his car was damaged.
• Other Ways to Say: Go ballistic, flip out, erupt.

3. See Red

• Meaning: To become very angry.
• In a Sentence: I saw red when I realized my work had been sabotaged.
• Other Ways to Say: Get furious, become enraged, fly off the handle.

4. Steamed Up

• Meaning: To be angry or upset.
• In a Sentence: She was steamed up about the unfair decision made at work.
• Other Ways to Say: Fuming, furious, irate.

5. Bite Someone’s Head Off

• Meaning: To respond to someone in an angry and curt manner.
• In a Sentence: I only asked a question, and she bit my head off.
• Other Ways to Say: Snap at, lash out, rebuke sharply.

6. At the End of One’s Rope

• Meaning: To be at a point of extreme frustration or anger.
• In a Sentence: After dealing with constant delays, I was at the end of my rope.
• Other Ways to Say: Out of patience, fed up, at breaking point.

7. Fly Off the Handle

• Meaning: To lose one’s temper suddenly.
• In a Sentence: He tends to fly off the handle over minor issues.
• Other Ways to Say: Blow up, erupt, erupt in anger.

8. Keep One’s Cool

• Meaning: To remain calm in a difficult situation.
• In a Sentence: Despite the chaos, she managed to keep her cool.
• Other Ways to Say: Stay composed, maintain calm, keep calm.

9. Idioms for Anger Throw a Fit

• Meaning: To have a sudden, uncontrolled outburst of anger.
• In a Sentence: The child threw a fit when he couldn’t have his way.
• Other Ways to Say: Have a tantrum, act out, have a meltdown.

10. Hot Under the Collar

• Meaning: To be angry or irritated.
• In a Sentence: He was hot under the collar after his colleague took credit for his work.
• Other Ways to Say: Upset, annoyed, irritated.

11. Get One’s Knickers in a Twist

• Meaning: To get unnecessarily upset or angry.
• In a Sentence: There’s no need to get your knickers in a twist over minor issues.
• Other Ways to Say: Overreact, get worked up, get flustered.

12. Ruffle Some Feathers

• Meaning: To upset or annoy someone.
• In a Sentence: His comments ruffled some feathers in the meeting.
• Other Ways to Say: Stir the pot, create tension, annoy.

13. A Bitter Pill to Swallow

• Meaning: A difficult situation to accept.
• In a Sentence: Losing the match was a bitter pill to swallow for the team.
• Other Ways to Say: Hard to accept, unpleasant reality, tough situation.

14. Get Bent Out of Shape

• Meaning: To become very upset or angry.
• In a Sentence: Don’t get bent out of shape over small mistakes.
• Other Ways to Say: Get upset, lose patience, get worked up.

15. Rant and Rave

• Meaning: To speak or shout angrily about something.
• In a Sentence: He ranted and raved about the poor service at the restaurant.
• Other Ways to Say: Yell, complain loudly, express outrage.

16. Burn with Anger

• Meaning: To be intensely angry.
• In a Sentence: She burned with anger after being insulted.
• Other Ways to Say: Seethe, fume, boil.

17. In a Tizzy

• Meaning: In a state of nervous excitement or agitation.
• In a Sentence: She was in a tizzy after hearing the unexpected news.
• Other Ways to Say: Flustered, agitated, upset.

18. Put Someone in Their Place

• Meaning: To reprimand someone for their behavior.
• In a Sentence: I had to put him in his place after he disrespected me.
• Other Ways to Say: Reprimand, correct, scold.

19. A Storm in a Teacup

• Meaning: An exaggerated reaction to a minor issue.
• In a Sentence: Their argument was just a storm in a teacup.
• Other Ways to Say: Much ado about nothing, fuss over nothing, overreaction.

20. Get Hot and Bothered

• Meaning: To become agitated or angry.
• In a Sentence: He gets hot and bothered whenever the topic of politics comes up.
• Other Ways to Say: Upset, flustered, irritated.

21. Idioms for Anger Go Off the Deep End

• Meaning: To become very angry or irrational.
• In a Sentence: She went off the deep end when she heard the news.
• Other Ways to Say: Lose control, freak out, snap.

22. Have a Bone to Pick

• Meaning: To have a grievance or complaint.
• In a Sentence: I have a bone to pick with you about the project delay.
• Other Ways to Say: Complain, express discontent, address an issue.

23. Drive Someone Up the Wall

• Meaning: To irritate or annoy someone greatly.
• In a Sentence: The constant noise is driving me up the wall!
• Other Ways to Say: Annoy, irritate, frustrate.

24. Hit a Nerve

• Meaning: To say something that angers or upsets someone.
• In a Sentence: His comments hit a nerve, and she became defensive.
• Other Ways to Say: Touch a sensitive spot, provoke, upset.

25. In a Rage

• Meaning: In a state of intense anger.
• In a Sentence: He was in a rage when he found his car vandalized.
• Other Ways to Say: Furious, incensed, livid.

26. Make One’s Blood Boil

• Meaning: To cause someone to become very angry.
• In a Sentence: The unfair treatment made her blood boil.
• Other Ways to Say: Infuriate, enrage, irritate.

27. A Face Like Thunder

• Meaning: A very angry expression.
• In a Sentence: When he walked in with a face like thunder, we knew something was wrong.
• Other Ways to Say: Angry look, furious expression, scowl.

28. Put Up with

• Meaning: To tolerate someone or something annoying.
• In a Sentence: I can’t put up with his constant complaining anymore.
• Other Ways to Say: Tolerate, endure, bear.

29. Get the Goat of Someone

• Meaning: To annoy or irritate someone.
• In a Sentence: His jokes really get my goat sometimes.
• Other Ways to Say: Annoy, irritate, vex.

30. A Hair Trigger

• Meaning: A person who becomes angry very easily.
• In a Sentence: He has a hair trigger temper, so be careful what you say.
• Other Ways to Say: Quick to anger, easily angered, sensitive.

31. Idioms for Anger Keep the Lid On

• Meaning: To control one’s anger or emotions.
• In a Sentence: She tried to keep the lid on her frustration during the meeting.
• Other Ways to Say: Suppress, control, restrain.

32. Go Ballistic

• Meaning: To become extremely angry.
• In a Sentence: He went ballistic when he saw the state of his car.
• Other Ways to Say: Lose it, explode, freak out.

33. Take Something to Heart

• Meaning: To be deeply affected or upset by something.
• In a Sentence: Don’t take it to heart; they were just joking.
• Other Ways to Say: Be affected, be upset, take it personally.

34. Ticked Off

• Meaning: Annoyed or angry.
• In a Sentence: I was really ticked off when my plans were canceled.
• Other Ways to Say: Upset, annoyed, irritated.

35. Raise One’s Hackles

• Meaning: To become defensive or angry.
• In a Sentence: His rude comments raised my hackles immediately.
• Other Ways to Say: Get defensive, be offended, become irate.

Quiz: Idioms for Anger

1. What does “hit the roof” mean?

a) To become extremely happy
b) To become extremely angry
c) To climb a building
Answer: b) To become extremely angry

2. If someone “blew a gasket,” they:

a) Fixed something
b) Became very angry suddenly
c) Smiled widely
Answer: b) Became very angry suddenly

3. “See red” refers to:

a) Feeling calm
b) Becoming very angry
c) Feeling happy
Answer: b) Becoming very angry

4. What does “keep one’s cool” mean?

a) To remain calm
b) To get angry
c) To forget something
Answer: a) To remain calm

5. “Throw a fit” means:

a) To have a sudden outburst of anger
b) To celebrate
c) To ignore someone
Answer: a) To have a sudden outburst of anger

6. If someone is “hot under the collar,” they are:

a) Happy
b) Angry or irritated
c) Confused
Answer: b) Angry or irritated

7. What does “drive someone up the wall” mean?

a) To make someone happy
b) To irritate someone greatly
c) To confuse someone
Answer: b) To irritate someone greatly

8. “Get bent out of shape” means:

a) To become very upset
b) To relax
c) To get fit
Answer: a) To become very upset

9. “Make one’s blood boil” means:

a) To make someone relaxed
b) To cause someone to become very angry
c) To make someone laugh
Answer: b) To cause someone to become very angry

10. If someone has a “hair trigger,” they are:

a) Quick to anger
b) Very calm
c) Happy-go-lucky
Answer: a) Quick to anger

Conclusion

Idioms for anger provide a rich vocabulary for expressing frustration and irritation. From “hitting the roof” to “seeing red,” these phrases capture the intensity of emotions we feel when provoked. Understanding and using these idioms can enhance communication and help articulate feelings more effectively.