Anger is a universal human emotion, and our language reflects this with countless colorful expressions.

Whether you’re learning English or just fascinated by idiomatic language, understanding these expressions can help you better communicate feelings of frustration and recognize them in conversation.

Here’s a comprehensive collection of 35 idioms that express anger, complete with meanings, examples, and alternatives.

35 Idioms for Anger

1. “Blow a Fuse”

Meaning: To suddenly become extremely angry. Example: “When I told her I had lost her favorite necklace, she blew a fuse.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Blow a gasket,” “blow one’s top,” “flip a switch”

2. “See Red”

Meaning: To become so angry that your vision is affected; to be furious. Example: “I saw red when he insulted my family.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Be blinded by rage,” “be consumed with anger”

3. “Fly Off the Handle”

Meaning: To lose control of your temper suddenly and unexpectedly. Example: “Don’t mention politics, or he’ll fly off the handle.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Lose it,” “snap,” “go ballistic”

4. “Hit the Roof”

Meaning: To become extremely angry very quickly. Example: “My dad hit the roof when he saw the dent in his new car.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Go through the ceiling,” “go through the roof”

5. “Bite Someone’s Head Off”

Meaning: To respond to someone in an unnecessarily angry or irritable way. Example: “I just asked a simple question, and she bit my head off.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Tear into someone,” “jump down someone’s throat”

6. “Foam at the Mouth”

Meaning: To be extremely angry and show it in your behavior. Example: “The customer was practically foaming at the mouth when told his flight was cancelled.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Be livid,” “be beside oneself with rage”

7. “Lose Your Cool”

Meaning: To lose control of your emotions, especially when angry. Example: “He rarely loses his cool, but the constant interruptions finally got to him.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Lose your composure,” “lose your temper”

8. “Go Ballistic”

Meaning: To become extremely and explosively angry. Example: “My mom went ballistic when she discovered I had taken her car without permission.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Go nuclear,” “explode with anger”

9. “Have a Short Fuse”

Meaning: To become angry easily and quickly. Example: “Be careful what you say around him—he has a short fuse.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Have a quick temper,” “be hot-headed”

10. “Get Your Hackles Up”

Meaning: To become defensive and angry. Example: “The criticism got her hackles up immediately.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Get riled up,” “get your back up”

11. “Raise Cain”

Meaning: To cause a disturbance or express anger loudly. Example: “The children raised Cain when told they couldn’t go swimming.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Raise hell,” “make a scene”

12. “Throw a Fit”

Meaning: To have an angry outburst or tantrum. Example: “She threw a fit when she found out she wasn’t invited to the party.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Have a meltdown,” “pitch a fit”

13. “Chew Someone Out”

Meaning: To scold or reprimand someone severely. Example: “My boss chewed me out for being late again.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Read someone the riot act,” “tear into someone”

14. “Get Under Someone’s Skin”

Meaning: To irritate or annoy someone intensely. Example: “His constant humming really gets under my skin.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Rub someone the wrong way,” “push someone’s buttons”

15. “Be Up in Arms”

Meaning: To be very angry and protesting strongly about something. Example: “The local community was up in arms about the proposed highway.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Be outraged,” “be in an uproar”

16. “Give Someone a Piece of Your Mind”

Meaning: To tell someone exactly how angry or annoyed you are with them. Example: “After waiting two hours, I gave the manager a piece of my mind.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Let someone have it,” “tell someone off”

17. “Spit Nails”

Meaning: To be extremely angry. Example: “When she discovered the damage to her garden, she was spitting nails.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Be furious,” “be livid with rage”

18. “Bent Out of Shape”

Meaning: To be upset, annoyed, or angry about something. Example: “Don’t get bent out of shape over such a small mistake.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Get worked up,” “get upset”

19. “Get Your Dander Up”

Meaning: To become angry or irritated. Example: “The unfair criticism really got his dander up.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Get steamed,” “get riled”

20. “Steaming Mad”

Meaning: To be extremely angry. Example: “She was steaming mad after the driver cut her off in traffic.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Boiling mad,” “fuming”

21. “Jump Down Someone’s Throat”

Meaning: To react with excessive anger or criticism. Example: “Every time I make a suggestion, she jumps down my throat.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Snap at someone,” “lash out at someone”

22. “Have a Conniption”

Meaning: To have a fit of rage or hysterical excitement. Example: “My mother had a conniption when she saw the state of my room.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Have a fit,” “go crazy”

23. “Blow Your Stack”

Meaning: To lose your temper completely. Example: “He blew his stack when the waiter brought the wrong order for the third time.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Blow your top,” “explode with anger”

24. “Hot Under the Collar”

Meaning: To be angry, indignant, or annoyed. Example: “The delayed response from customer service had him hot under the collar.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Worked up,” “irritated”

25. “Go Through the Roof”

Meaning: To become extremely angry or excited. Example: “When he saw the bill, he went through the roof.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Hit the ceiling,” “flip out”

26. “Have Blood Boiling”

Meaning: To be extremely angry. Example: “The injustice of the situation had my blood boiling.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Be seething,” “be absolutely furious”

27. “Breathe Fire”

Meaning: To be extremely angry and show it through speech or behavior. Example: “The coach was breathing fire after the team’s poor performance.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Be incensed,” “be enraged”

28. “Get Your Goat”

Meaning: To annoy or irritate someone. Example: “His arrogant attitude really gets my goat.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Rile someone up,” “annoy someone”

29. “Have a Cow”

Meaning: To become very angry, upset, or excited about something. Example: “Don’t have a cow—I’ll pay you back tomorrow.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Freak out,” “overreact”

30. “On the Warpath”

Meaning: To be very angry and looking for someone to blame or confront. Example: “The director is on the warpath about the missed deadline.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Looking for blood,” “out for revenge”

31. “Fit to Be Tied”

Meaning: To be extremely angry or upset. Example: “She was fit to be tied when she discovered someone had scratched her car.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Beside oneself with anger,” “livid”

32. “Read the Riot Act”

Meaning: To scold someone severely. Example: “The principal read the riot act to the students caught skipping class.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Give someone a dressing down,” “reprimand severely”

33. “Go Off the Deep End”

Meaning: To react in an extreme or irrational way; to lose control. Example: “He went off the deep end when he found out they had canceled his favorite show.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Lose it completely,” “go crazy”

34. “In a Lather”

Meaning: To be in a state of extreme anger or agitation. Example: “She worked herself into a lather over the misplaced document.” Alternative ways of saying it: “In a state,” “worked up”

35. “Give Someone the Third Degree”

Meaning: To interrogate someone aggressively. Example: “When I came home late, my parents gave me the third degree.” Alternative ways of saying it: “Grill someone,” “interrogate relentlessly”

Other Idioms You May Find Valuable:

Understanding Anger Idioms

These expressions add color and depth to our communication about emotions. While they can help express frustration effectively, recognizing when these phrases appear in conversation can also help us identify when others might be feeling upset or agitated.

It’s worth noting that different cultures express anger in unique ways, and direct translations of these idioms may not exist in other languages. Learning these phrases can significantly enhance both language proficiency and emotional intelligence in English-speaking contexts.

Sources

• Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms
• Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms
• “Anger Management: Idioms and Expressions” by The English Language Institute
• “The Big Book of English Expressions and Phrases” by John Wilson
• “Understanding Idiomatic English” by Elizabeth O’Dowd