Anger is one of the most basic human emotions, and contrary to what some may think, it’s completely normal and acceptable to feel it. As Dr. Gabor Maté, a renowned Canadian physician, author, and speaker, explains, our brains even have a dedicated neural pathway specifically for anger. The key lies in how we express it.

While we hope you already have some tools to manage this complex yet natural emotion, we’re here to provide you with vocabulary to help you articulate your feelings more precisely. This verbal expression might not only improve communication but also positively influence how you process your anger.

So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

Informal Synonyms For Angry

The examples below describe situations that stereotypically trigger anger, ranging from mild to intense. While it’s true that minor incidents can provoke extreme reactions in some people, for clarity, we have chosen straightforward and (hopefully) widely understood scenarios.

1. Peeved 😠 My colleague keeps taking my stapler without asking, and I’m feeling a little peeved. / It really peeves me when my colleague takes my stapler without asking.
2. Bent out of shape 😠 I was bent out of shape by his remark about my new hairstyle. / His remark about my new hairstyle got me bent out of shape.
3. Ticked off 😠 I’m ticked off by this annoying mosquito. / This mosquito is ticking me off.
4. Riled 😤 I got really riled when I saw someone cut in front of me in line. / That guy cutting in front of me really riled me (up).
5. Worked up 😤 Emily got worked up when her package arrived a month late!
6. Heated 😤 Tim was so heated after the argument that he couldn’t think straight. / Arguments get him heated.
7. Pissed off 😤 He was really pissed off when he found out his flight was delayed again. / Such incidents do piss him off.
8. Steamed 😤 She was steamed when she realized her coworker had taken credit for her idea. / She steamed when she realized her coworker had taken credit for her idea.
9. Fuming 😤 He was fuming after hearing the unfair criticism about his work. / He fumed over the criticism.
10. Seething 😤 Jane was seething (with anger) after discovering her car had been scratched in the parking lot. / Jane seethed after discovering her car.
11. Boiling 😤 Mike was boiling (with rage) when he found out his promotion had been given to someone else.
12. Enraged 😡 They were all enraged by the news of the company’s unethical practices. / The news enraged him.
13. Raging 😡 I was raging when I heard that my presentation had been canceled at the last minute. / I raged about the decision.)
14. Livid 😡 Samantha was livid after hearing the rude comments about her project.
15. Beside oneself 😡 When Kim heard the news, she was beside herself (with rage).

Idioms Only

1. To make one’s blood boil: The way he treats his employees really makes my blood boil.
2. To see red: People who drop litter make me see red.
3. To blow a fuse/gasket: It was only a suggestion – there’s no need to blow a fuse/gasket.
4. To flip one’s lid: It’s just a minor mistake. Why are you flipping your lid?
5. To fly off the handle: I often fly off the handle when I see injustice.
6. To have a cow: My boss had a cow when I arrived at the meeting late.
7. To go ballistic: Dad will go ballistic when he sees you dented the new car.
8. Hot under the collar: When I suggested he was mistaken he got rather hot under the collar.
9. To blow one’s lid/top/stack: My mom will blow her top when she sees this mess.
10. Almost burst a blood vessel (humorous): Mum almost burst a blood vessel when I told her what happened.
11. To hit the roof / to go through the roof:
    When I was expelled from school, my parents went through the roof.
12. To have/throw a fit: She’ll throw a fit when she sees the miss you’ve made.

Practice

Click the link here and choose the right word to complete the sentences.

Which expressions are new to you, and which have heard and/or used before? Which one do you like best? Feel free to leave your feedback in the comments below. 😉