fury
noun
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Dire Straits and Furies
Dire and fury share a history in Roman mythology, as each of these words is connected to the Erinyes, the avenging and terrifying deities of ancient myth who tormented criminals. The Romans referred to these goddesses as either the Dirae or the Furiae. The former is from the Latin word dirus, from which dire is descended, and the latter comes from furere, from where we get fury. The word dire is often found in conjunction with straits; in dire straits is used of a situation that is very bad or difficult. Our records indicate that this phrase began to be used in English at the end of the 18th century, when it appeared in Francis Fawkes’s The Argonautics of Apollonius Rhodius: “When now the heroes through the vast profound, Reach the dire straits with rocks encompass’d round.”
Synonyms
- battle-ax
- battle-axe
- dragon lady
- harpy
- harridan
- shrew
- termagant
- virago
- vixen
Example Sentences
CBS News, 4 Sep. 2022 These acts loom over the family’s life like a legend, with quasi-scriptural authority, and the actors’ concentrated fury and vulnerability lends D’Ambrose’s reserved manner a vital, sometimes terrifying dramatic intensity. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2022 Neither orchestra nor singers maintained tidiness at Ollikainen’s unrelenting tempos, but the fury had its own quality of Beethoven overcoming adversity in finding joy, Elysium’s daughter. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022 Beijing responded with live-fire drills and fury to a 19-hour stop over by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier this month, including shooting missiles into the waters around Taiwan’s main island for the first time since the 1990s. Alicia Chen, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022 The online publication drew fury from the president on Twitter. Matthew Perrone And Kevin Freking, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Aug. 2022 The loss sparked fury in the Sky’s veteran core, which blamed the scoreless final minutes on a mental panic, then responded with a 38-point blowout victory in Game 2. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2022 Over a slithering groove, Lovato’s voice swings from snarly and woozy to unleashed fury in the first 30 seconds of the efficient rocker. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 19 Aug. 2022 Rajapaksa's brother Mahinda Rajapaksa was forced to resign as prime minister in May as public fury grew over the crisis. Iqbal Athas And Rhea Mogul, CNN, 17 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Middle English furie, from Latin furia, from furere to rage
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing fury
Kids Definition
fury
noun
fury
noun
Synonyms & Similar Words
- shrew
- termagant
- virago
- harridan
- vixen
- harpy
- battle-axe
- critic
- dragon lady
- battle-ax
- gorgon
- scold
- fishwife
- censurer
- faultfinder
- railer
- caviler
- detractor
- nitpicker
- derider
- carper
- quibbler
- belittler
- castigator
- caviller
- pettifogger
Synonyms & Similar Words
- frenzy
- rampage
- rage
- hysteria
- agitation
- fever
- delirium
- furor
- feverishness
- uproar
- furore
- flap
- confusion
- chaos
- deliriousness
- distraction
- turmoil
- commotion
- havoc
- disorder
- tempest
- pandemonium
- stir
- storm
- bedlam
- tumult
- disturbance
- clatter
- clamor
- ruckus
- brouhaha
- squall
- rumpus
- hubbub
- hullabaloo
- bustle
- ruction
- fuss
- stew
- shindy
- hoo-hah
- bother
- hoo-ha
- hurly-burly
- to-do
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- tranquility
- calmness
- serenity
- peace
- calm
- quietude
- tranquillity
- stillness
- placidity
- still
- peacefulness
- quiet
- restfulness
- repose
- sereneness
- tranquilness
Synonyms & Similar Words
- anger
- indignation
- wrath
- rage
- outrage
- mood
- mad
- wrathfulness
- irritation
- exasperation
- madness
- ire
- jealousy
- irritability
- resentment
- contempt
- furor
- bitterness
- hostility
- annoyance
- choler
- spleen
- angriness
- temper
- slow burn
- malice
- outburst
- birse
- grudge
- venom
- animosity
- lividity
- envy
- irateness
- enmity
- antagonism
- bile
- spite
- lividness
- embitterment
- antipathy
- malevolence
- vengefulness
- rancor
- vexation
- vindictiveness
- vitriol
- aggravation
- acrimony
- pugnacity
- belligerence
- biliousness
- virulence
- querulousness
- pique
- heat
- irascibility
- crankiness
- jaundice
- dudgeon
- contentiousness
- warmth
- orneriness
- pugnaciousness
- contrariness
- quarrelsomeness
- huff
- hot-headedness
- delirium
- flare
- acrimoniousness
- passion
- pet
- road rage
- blowup
- rise
- disputatiousness
- dander
- air rage
- empoisonment
- irascibleness
- chafe
- ruffle
- flare-up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- delight
- pleasure
- patience
- calmness
- forbearance
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of fury are anger, indignation, ire, rage, 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.
The synonyms anger and fury are sometimes interchangeable, but anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.
The words indignation and fury are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful.
The meanings of ire and fury largely overlap; however, ire, more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling.
In some situations, the words wrath and fury are roughly equivalent. However, wrath is likely to suggest a desire or intent to punish or get revenge.