Everyone feels angry sometimes. It might happen when someone takes your things, doesn’t listen, or says something mean. There are many ways to show anger with words. People often use idioms short phrases that don’t mean exactly what they say. These idioms help express big feelings in a fun and creative way.
In this article, you will learn some common idioms people use when they are angry. Each one will include what it means and how to use it in a sentence. These phrases are often heard in movies, books, or everyday talk. Understanding them can help you speak and write more clearly when strong emotions come up.
Idioms for Anger
1. Blow a fuse
Meaning: To suddenly become very angry.
Example: When Jake broke his mom’s phone, she blew a fuse.
Put Differently:My dad blew a fuse when he saw the broken window. / She blew a fuse when her brother took her favorite game.
2. Hot under the collar
Meaning: Feeling angry or upset.
Example: Jason got hot under the collar when he was blamed for something he didn’t do.
Put Differently: I get hot under the collar when people interrupt me. / She was hot under the collar after losing the game unfairly.
3. Lose your temper
Meaning: To stop being calm and show anger.
Example: Marcus lost his temper when his team kept ignoring his ideas.
Put Differently: I try not to lose my temper when things go wrong. / He lost his temper after waiting too long in line.
4. See red
Meaning: To become very angry.
Example: When the bully pushed her friend, Mia saw red.
Put Differently: He saw red when his bike was stolen. / She saw red after hearing someone lied about her.
5. Hit the roof
Meaning: To get very angry suddenly.
Example: Dad hit the roof when he saw mud all over the carpet.
Put Differently: She hit the roof when her brother used her phone without asking. / My mom hit the roof after finding out I didn’t do my homework.
6. Bite someone’s head off
Meaning: To speak in a very angry way.
Example: Sam bit his sister’s head off for touching his drawing.
Put Differently: Don’t bite my head off. I was just asking a question. / She bit my head off when I forgot her birthday.
7. Have a short fuse
Meaning: To get angry quickly.
Example: My coach has a short fuse when we don’t follow directions.
Put Differently: People with a short fuse get mad over small things. / My uncle has a short fuse and yells often.
8. Get bent out of shape
Meaning: To get upset or angry about something small.
Example: Don’t get bent out of shape over one mistake.
Put Differently: She got bent out of shape when I borrowed her pencil. / He gets bent out of shape if someone touches his stuff.
9. Go off the deep end
Meaning: To react with too much anger.
Example: She went off the deep end when her phone fell in the water.
Put Differently:He went off the deep end just because we were late. / I don’t want to go off the deep end over a video game.
10. Blow your top
Meaning: To suddenly get very angry.
Example: When the kids kept yelling, the teacher blew her top.
Put Differently:My dad blew his top after stepping on Legos. / Don’t blow your top it was just an accident.
11. Raise your voice
Meaning: To talk louder because you’re angry.
Example: The coach raised his voice when we weren’t listening.
Put Differently: Please don’t raise your voice. I’m trying to help. / She raised her voice after hearing bad news.
12. Mad as a hornet
Meaning: Very angry.
Example: He was mad as a hornet when his brother ruined his project.
Put Differently: She looked mad as a hornet when the dog chewed her shoe. / I was mad as a hornet after my toy broke.
13. See your blood boil
Meaning: To feel very angry inside.
Example: Watching someone get bullied made my blood boil.
Put Differently: My blood boils when people are rude to others. / Her blood boils when no one stood up for her.
14. Storm out
Meaning: To leave quickly because you’re angry.
Example: He stormed out of the room after the argument.
Put Differently:She stormed out when her idea was ignored. / I stormed out after my brother blamed me.
15. Go through the roof
Meaning: To become extremely angry.
Example: My mom went through the roof when she saw the mess.
Put Differently: Dad goes through the roof when we argue at dinner. / She went through the roof over a broken lamp.
16. Blow off steam
Meaning: To calm down by doing something.
Example: He played basketball to blow off steam.
Put Differently: I take a walk to blow off steam. / She drew pictures to blow off steam after school.
17. At the end of your rope
Meaning: Feeling like you can’t stay calm anymore.
Example: The teacher was at the end of her rope with all the noise.
Put Differently: I was at the end of my rope trying to fix the puzzle. / Mom was at the end of her rope after cleaning all day.
18. Fly off the handle
Meaning: To get angry quickly.
Example: He flew off the handle when his ice cream melted.
Put Differently:Don’t fly off the handle over little things. / She flew off the handle when the printer jammed.
19. Get in someone’s face
Meaning: To confront someone in an angry way.
Example: He got in the bully’s face to defend his friend.
Put Differently: She got in his face during the argument. / I don’t like it when people get in my face.
20. Chew someone out
Meaning: To scold someone harshly.
Example: The coach chewed us out after we lost the game.
Put Differently: I got chewed out for not finishing my chores. / She chewed out her brother for messing up her stuff.or 5th-grade students in the USA:
21. Get worked up
Meaning: To become upset or angry about something.
Example: He got worked up because he thought the game was unfair.
Put Differently:She got worked up over a bad grade./ I get worked up when people skip in line.
22. In a huff
Meaning: Feeling upset and leaving or acting in a rude way.
Example: She left the room in a huff after the argument.
Put Differently:He walked away in a huff when we teased him. / I went to my room in a huff when my idea was rejected.
23. Jump down someone’s throat
Meaning: To suddenly get mad and speak harshly.
Example: Mom jumped down my throat when I tracked mud inside.
Put Differently:She jumped down his throat for forgetting his chores. / Don’t jump down my throat. I didn’t mean to break it.
24. Have a cow
Meaning: To get very upset or angry.
Example: Dad had a cow when he saw my messy room.
Put Differently: Don’t have a cow over spilled juice. / She had a cow when she missed the bus.
25. In a rage
Meaning: Extremely angry.
Example: He was in a rage after being called names.
Put Differently: She was in a rage when her team lost unfairly. / I was in a rage after someone hit my bike.
26. Like a bull in a china shop
Meaning: Acting wild and angry, making a mess.
Example: He ran through the house like a bull in a china shop.
Put Differently: She acted like a bull in a china shop when she got mad. / My little brother, angry and running, was like a bull in a china shop.
27. On the warpath
Meaning: Looking for a fight or very angry.
Example: Mom was on the warpath when she found out we lied.
Put Differently: The teacher was on the warpath after kids didn’t do their work. / He’s on the warpath after someone scratched his car.
28. Blow your stack
Meaning: To lose your temper.
Example: My uncle blew his stack when the grill stopped working.
Put Differently: She blew her stack when the dog chewed her shoes. / I blew my stack after losing three times in a row.
29. Have a fit
Meaning: To act very angry or upset.
Example: She had a fit when her phone stopped working.
Put Differently: He had a fit when he wasn’t picked for the team. / I had a fit after dropping my ice cream.
30. Kick up a fuss
Meaning: To complain or get upset loudly.
Example: He kicked up a fuss when bedtime came early.
Put Differently: She kicked up a fuss when she didn’t get her turn. / The boy kicked up a fuss at the grocery store.
31. Blow your lid
Meaning: To suddenly become angry.
Example: Dad blew his lid after seeing the muddy footprints.
Put Differently: I blew my lid when my project was ruined. / She blew her lid when no one helped clean up.
32. Go ballistic
Meaning: To become very angry, fast.
Example: She went ballistic when her little brother colored on her homework.
Put Differently: He went ballistic over a wrong food order. / I went ballistic when my backpack was missing.
33. Be at each other’s throats
Meaning: Fighting or arguing a lot.
Example: My brothers were at each other’s throats over the video game.
Put Differently:They were at each other’s throats the whole ride home. / We were at each other’s throats during the group project.
34. See stars
Meaning: So angry you can hardly think.
Example: I saw stars when someone spilled juice on my poster.
Put Differently: He saw stars after getting blamed unfairly. / She saw stars when her bike was taken.
35. Pitch a fit
Meaning: To throw a loud tantrum.
Example: My little cousin pitched a fit when he had to leave the park.
Put Differently:Don’t pitch a fit just because you didn’t win. / She pitched a fit when her tablet was taken away.
36. Barking mad
Meaning: Extremely angry (or sometimes crazy-angry).
Example: He went barking mad when the ball hit his car.
Put Differently: She was barking mad after being left out. / My dad gets barking mad when we’re late.
37. All fired up
Meaning: Full of strong feelings like anger or excitement.
Example: He was all fired up about the bad call in the game.
Put Differently: She was all fired up after hearing the unfair rule.
38. Boiling mad
Meaning: Very angry inside, like boiling water.
Example: I was boiling mad when my art project was ruined.
Put Differently:he looked boiling mad after getting pushed. / She was boiling mad when she saw the mess.
9. Cross with someone
Meaning: A little angry or annoyed.
Example: I was cross with my friend for not telling me the truth.
Put Differently:Mom was cross with me for leaving my shoes out. / He’s cross with his sister for sing his things.
40. Give someone a piece of your mind
Meaning: To tell someone you’re angry with them.
Example: She gave him a piece of her mind for skipping practice.
Put Differently: I gave my brother a piece of my mind for breaking my toy. / He gave the store manager a piece of his mind over the mistake.
“Rewrite the Sentence” Activity:Idioms for Anger
Below are 10 sentences about real-life situations. These do not include idioms. Your job is to rewrite each one using an American idiom in a way that makes sense and sounds natural. These sentences are based on things you might see at school, with friends, or at home.
Sentences to Rewrite
- Dad got really mad when I didn’t take out the trash.
- My sister shouted at me when I took her marker without asking.
- Jacob left the room quickly because he was upset.
- Our teacher looked angry after we kept talking in class.
- Mom got mad fast when she saw my messy backpack.
- I was very angry when my friend broke my toy.
- The coach yelled a lot after the team lost.
- My brother was upset when I touched his video game.
- Emma and Lily kept arguing over the same chair.
- I was upset and needed a break after the group project didn’t go well.
Answer Key
- Dad blew a fuse when I didn’t take out the trash.
- My sister bit my head off when I took her marker without asking.
- Jacob stormed out of the room because he was upset.
- Our teacher was hot under the collar after we kept talking in class.
- Mom has a short fuse and got mad when she saw my messy backpack.
- I was boiling mad when my friend broke my toy.
- The coach chewed us out after the team lost.
- My brother got bent out of shape when I touched his video game.
- Emma and Lily were at each other’s throats over the same chair.
- I blew off steam after the group project didn’t go well.
Conclusion
Understanding idioms for anger can help you express strong feelings in a clear and simple way. These phrases are part of everyday talk and can be useful at school, home, or with friends.
Now that you know what these idioms mean and how to use them, try noticing them in books, shows, or conversations. With practice, you’ll feel more confident using them in your own writing and speaking.
