INDEX:
1. feeling angry
2. feeling extremely angry
3. angry for a short time
4. angry because something is unfair or wrong
5. words for describing an angry meeting, argument etc
6. to get angry
7. to make someone angry
8. to deliberately make someone angry
9. making you angry
10. to behave in a very angry way
11. often behaving in an angry, unfriendly way
12. unfriendly and quiet because you are angry
13. easily annoyed
14. angry feelings
15. to try to make someone less angry
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ CALM
to talk to someone in an angry way : ↑ SHOUT , ↑ TELL SB OFF
see also
↑ DISAPPOINTED
↑ FED UP
↑ UPSET
↑ VIOLENT
↑ INSULT
↑ OFFEND
↑ REVENGE
↑ HATE
◆◆◆
1. feeling angry
▷ angry /ˈæŋgri/ [adjective]
▪ My dad gets really angry if anyone keeps him waiting.
▪ Stone’s new book is sure to make a lot of women angry.
▪ Hundreds of angry students gathered to protest the tuition increase.
▪ After the programme, the TV station received hundreds of angry phone calls.
angry with
▪ Sue’s still very angry with me for forgetting our anniversary.
angry about
▪ My folks were really angry about my grades.
angry that
▪ Mary’s angry that we didn’t save her any pizza.
▪ Local people are angry that they weren’t told about plans to expand the airport.
angrily [adverb]
▪ Robert slammed the door angrily on his way out.
▪ ‘Shut your mouth!’ exclaimed Tom angrily.
▷ mad /mæd/ [adjective not before noun] especially American
angry :
▪ Ernie was mad because we woke him up.
▪ Don’t get mad. It was an accident.
▪ Sheila’s mad at me because I forgot to feed the cats yesterday.
▪ Sally was mad at the children for making so much noise.
mad about
▪ Don seems really mad about something.
▷ annoyed /əˈnɔɪd/ [adjective not before noun]
a little angry :
▪ Sandra was very annoyed that I was late.
▪ Mike gets annoyed if anyone goes in his room when he’s out.
▪ Professor Johnson was annoyed when I told her my paper was going to be late.
annoyed with/at
▪ Meg was annoyed with me because I forgot to stop and buy bread on my way home.
annoyed by/about
▪ Everyone is annoyed by the constant noise of the construction project.
annoyance [uncountable noun] formal :
▪ Uncle Ted didn’t come to the dinner party, much to my mother’s annoyance it made her very annoyed .
in/with annoyance
▪ Randle looked in annoyance at the flight attendant. he looked at her with an annoyed expression
▷ irritated /ˈɪrɪteɪtəd, ˈɪrəteɪtəd/ [adjective not before noun]
a little angry and impatient about something, especially an annoying situation that you think has continued for too long :
irritated with/by
▪ Paul was irritated with the children because he was tired.
irritated at
▪ The teacher was clearly irritated at having his class interrupted.
▪ Margot gets irritated if people leave dirty dishes in the sink.
▷ cross /krɒsǁkrɔːs/ [adjective] British
a word used especially by children or to children meaning a little angry :
▪ Mum will be cross when she finds out about the broken vase.
cross with
▪ I’m sorry I was cross with you.
crossly [adverb]
▪ ‘Just leave me alone,’ said Lucy crossly.
▷ be in a temper /biː ɪn ə ˈtempəʳ/ [verb phrase] British
to be very angry for a short time, especially when other people think you have no real reason to be :
▪ Jeff was in a temper this morning, so I left the house as early as possible.
be in a bad/foul temper
▪ Donna’s been in a foul temper all day.
▷ pissed off also pissed American /ˌpɪst ˈɒf, pɪst/ [adjective phrase not before noun] informal
an impolite expression meaning angry, especially about something that someone has done :
▪ I don’t know why you’re so pissed off -- I told you I might be late.
▪ Darren got really pissed when I told him that.
pissed off with
▪ Wendy’s pissed off with me for not returning her call.
pissed off about
▪ I’m really pissed off about the schedule changes - it messes everything up.
pissed off at
American
▪ Why are you pissed at him?
▷ frustrated /frʌˈstreɪtɪd, frʌˈstreɪtədǁˈfrʌstreɪtə̇d/ [adjective]
a little angry and impatient because of an unpleasant or difficult situation that you feel unable to change or control :
▪ Stacy got so frustrated that she stood up and walked out of the room.
▪ Frustrated parents were calling the school to complain.
frustrated with
▪ My boss is frustrated with me for coming in late.
▷ hacked off British /ticked off American /ˌhækt ˈɒf, ˌtɪkt ˈɒf/ [adjective phrase not before noun]
a little angry about something that annoys you, especially something that happens a lot :
▪ Mick was hacked off when he saw his girlfriend dancing with another guy.
hacked off with
▪ Lee’s ticked off with me for not inviting him to the party.
2. feeling extremely angry
▷ furious /ˈfjʊ ə riəs/ [adjective]
▪ Don’t tell Jan I read her letter -- she’ll be furious.
▪ I’ve never been so furious in all my life.
▪ A furious clerk chased the children out of the store.
furious with
▪ Gina was furious with him for leaving the baby alone in the house.
furious at/about
▪ Walter came home furious at something his boss had said.
furiously [adverb]
▪ ‘Stop it!’ Jesse shouted furiously.
▷ livid /ˈlɪvɪd, ˈlɪvəd/ [adjective not before noun]
so angry that it is difficult for you to think clearly or speak properly :
▪ ‘Was she angry when you arrived so late?’ ‘She was livid!’
▪ I know I shouldn’t have spoken to Suzanne like that, but I was absolutely livid.
▷ seething /ˈsiːðɪŋ/ [adjective not before noun] especially written
extremely angry, but unable or unwilling to show it :
▪ Bobby drove home seething after his terrible humiliation at the party.
seething with anger/rage/indignation
▪ Seething with anger, Polly pushed back her chair and stood up from the table.
▷ incensed /ɪnˈsenst/ [adjective] especially written
extremely angry about something someone has done, and ready to react very strongly or violently :
▪ Colonel Monroe became incensed when two of the junior officers did not treat him with respect.
incensed by/at
▪ Perry was incensed by the committee’s recommendations.
▷ be on the warpath /biː ɒn ðə ˈwɔːʳpɑːθǁ-pæθ/ [verb phrase] informal
to be very angry about something and to be planning to criticize and argue with the person you think has caused it :
▪ After two accidents in the same week outside the school, the Parents’ Association is on the warpath.
3. angry for a short time
▷ be in a bad mood /biː ɪn ə ˌbæd ˈmuːd/ [verb phrase]
▪ I had to wait two hours for the train, which really put me in a bad mood.
▪ Why were you in such a bad mood this morning?
be in a foul mood
be in a very bad mood
▪ Darnell came home from work in a foul mood.
▷ be in a huff /biː ɪn ə ˈhʌf/ [verb phrase]
if someone is in a huff they are feeling bad-tempered, especially because someone has just offended, upset, or annoyed them :
▪ Kate is in a huff right now because we wouldn’t let her go to the beach with her friends.
go off/leave in a huff
go away in a huff
▪ Dad started to give the waiter a hard time and Mom got up and left the table in a huff.
▷ be in one of his/her moods /biː ɪn ˌwʌn əv hɪz, ˌhɜːʳ ˈmuːdz/ [verb phrase]
if someone is in one of his or her moods they are bad-tempered at the moment and you know that they often get bad-tempered for no good reason :
▪ It’s no use trying to reason with Karen right now; she’s in one of her moods.
▪ When Kurt was in one of his moods, he took it out on everyone around him.
▷ get up on the wrong side of the bed also get out of bed on the wrong side British /get ˌʌp ɒn ðə ˌrɒŋ ˌsaɪd əv ðə ˈbed, get ˌaʊt əv ˌbed ɒn ðə ˌrɒŋ ˈsaɪdǁ-ˌrɔːŋ-/ [verb phrase] spoken
you say someone has got out of bed on the wrong side when you think they have been behaving in a bad-tempered way all day :
▪ ‘What’s Sarah’s problem?’ ‘I don’t know. She must have got up on the wrong side of the bed.’
4. angry because something is unfair or wrong
▷ indignant /ɪnˈdɪgnənt/ [adjective] formal :
▪ Grandfather’s always writing indignant letters to the newspaper.
indignant at/over
▪ Eric was indignant at being told he would have to wait two weeks for an appointment.
indignantly [adverb] formal :
▪ ‘It’s not fair,’ the child shouted indignantly.
indignation /ˌɪndɪgˈneɪʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun] formal :
▪ I certainly understand the public’s indignation over the recent tax increase.
▷ be up in arms /biː ˌʌp ɪn ˈɑːʳmz/ [verb phrase]
if a group of people are up in arms, they are protesting angrily about something that has been done or decided, especially by the government or some other official group :
▪ Pine Valley residents are up in arms about plans to build a prison in the area.
▷ be disgusted /biː dɪsˈgʌstə̇d/ [verb phrase]
to feel very angry and disappointed because you think that someone’s actions are very wrong, dishonest, or immoral :
▪ Many voters are disgusted with the way Congress spends their money.
▪ I’m disgusted. How could you be so rude to our guests?
be disgusted at/with
▪ Disgusted with the political corruption in her homeland, Stepanowicz left for good in 1982.
▷ outraged /ˈaʊtreɪdʒd/ [adjective]
extremely angry about something wrong, immoral, or unfair, especially something violent :
▪ Thousands of outraged citizens took to the streets to protest against the actions of the police.
outraged at/by
▪ The whole community has been shocked and outraged at the bombing.
▷ resentful /rɪˈzentf ə l/
feeling very angry and upset about something unfair that someone has done to you :
resentful of
▪ Robert was resentful of the fact that Forbes had been given the promotion.
resentful about
▪ Harvey feels bitter and resentful about the way he’s been treated.
▷ be sickened /biː ˈsɪkənd/ [verb phrase]
to feel that a situation or someone’s behaviour is terrible or wrong, and wish that you could stop it :
▪ In 1991, the world was sickened by the brutal beating of a California man at the hands of several police officers.
be sickened to hear/see/learn etc
▪ We were sickened to learn that such well-known companies were dealing with the drug kingpin.
be sickened about
▪ I am sickened about the destruction of the downtown area.
5. words for describing an angry meeting, argument etc
▷ angry /ˈæŋgri/ [adjective only before noun]
▪ I could hear my parents having an angry argument downstairs.
▪ There were more angry protests outside the Republican convention Friday.
▷ furious /ˈfjʊ ə riəs/ [adjective only before noun]
a furious argument, discussion, disagreement etc is one in which people express very angry feelings :
▪ A furious argument was taking place outside the pub.
▪ The new import laws have provoked furious complaints from business groups.
▷ stormy /ˈstɔːʳmi/ [adjective]
something such as a discussion or relationship that is stormy is one in which angry feelings are often expressed :
▪ The December peace talks are likely to be stormy.
▪ After a long and sometimes stormy discussion, a decision was finally reached.
▪ Their relationship could be stormy at times.
▷ heated /ˈhiːtɪd, ˈhiːtəd/
heated argument/debate/discussion etc
angry and excited :
▪ The gun control issue continues to be the subject of heated debate.
▪ Ed and I used to stay up all night, drinking wine and having heated arguments about politics.
▪ Things got very heated as I demanded he pay me full compensation.
▷ furore British /furor American /fjʊˈrɔːri, ˈfjʊ ə rɔːʳǁˈfjʊ ə rɔːr/ [singular noun]
a situation in which a lot of angry feelings are expressed, especially about something that a lot of people care about :
▪ Addison’s theory caused a furore in the academic world.
furore over
▪ There was a furor over a recent exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
▷ uproar /ˈʌp-rɔːʳ/ [singular noun]
a situation in which a lot of people express angry feelings, shock, or disappointment at something they think is very wrong or unfair :
▪ There was an immediate uproar when the company talked about cutting holiday time.
set off an uproar
▪ The court’s decision set off an uproar among religious activists.
▷ feelings run high /ˌfiːlɪŋz rʌn ˈhaɪ/
if feelings run high a lot of people are feeling very angry and excited about something, especially something that affects them personally, or that they have very strong opinions about :
▪ Feelings always run high in games between the two teams.
▪ With the economy in ruins, feelings against the Prime Minister are running high.
6. to get angry
▷ get angry also get mad American /get ˈæŋgri, get ˈmæd/ [verb phrase]
▪ Mike gets very angry when he loses at tennis.
get angry at
▪ You have no right to get mad at me. It’s not my fault.
▷ lose your temper /ˌluːz jɔːʳ ˈtempəʳ/ [verb phrase]
to suddenly become angry, especially after you have been trying not to :
▪ As the argument escalated, Mason lost his temper completely.
lose your temper with
▪ You should never lose your temper with the students - it’ll only make things worse.
▷ blow your top/hit the roof/go crazy/go nuts/have a fit also go mad British /ˌbləʊ jɔːʳ ˈtɒpǁ-ˈtɑːp, ˌhɪt ðə ˈruːf, gəʊ ˈkreɪzi, gəʊ ˈnʌts, ˌhæv ə ˈfɪt, gəʊ ˈmæd/ [verb phrase] informal
to suddenly become very angry :
▪ My father blew his top when I told him I was quitting medical school.
▪ ‘What happened when you told him you wrecked the car?’ ‘Oh, he hit the roof.’
▪ Mom would go crazy if she found out you had started smoking.
▪ I’m going to go nuts if that phone doesn’t stop ringing.
▪ When Tommy’s new bike was stolen, he had a fit.
▷ go ballistic/go bananas/go berserk also go ape American /gəʊ bəˈlɪstɪk, gəʊ bəˈnɑːnəz ǁ-bəˈnæ-, gəʊ bɜːʳˈsɜːʳk, gəʊ ˈeɪp/ [verb phrase] informal
to suddenly become very angry :
▪ If my wife ever finds out about this, she’ll go berserk.
▪ Joe went ape when we tried to take the car keys away from him outside the bar.
▷ get stroppy /get ˈstrɒpiǁ-ˈstrɑːpi/ [verb phrase] British informal
to start behaving and talking to people in an angry way, especially when other people think this is unreasonable :
▪ She’s the sort of boss who gets really stroppy if things aren’t done her way.
▪ Mel got a bit stroppy when the maitre d' put us at a table he didn’t like.
7. to make someone angry
▷ make somebody angry also make somebody mad especially American /ˌmeɪk somebody ˈæŋgri, ˌmeɪk somebody ˈmæd/ [verb phrase]
▪ Sophie tried not to do anything that would make Henry angry.
▪ It always makes me mad when people drive up behind me and start flashing their lights.
▷ annoy /əˈnɔɪ/ [transitive verb]
to make someone fairly angry :
▪ The only reason she went out with Charles was to annoy her parents.
▪ Jane’s constant chatter was beginning to annoy me.
▪ Are you doing that just to annoy me?
it annoys somebody that/when
▪ It annoys me that Kim never returns the books she borrows.
I find it annoying when...
▪ I find it annoying when people eat smelly foods on public transport.
▷ irritate /ˈɪrɪteɪt, ˈɪrəteɪt/ [transitive verb]
to keep annoying someone :
▪ That silly smile of hers always irritated me.
▪ After a while, the loud ticking of the clock began to irritate me.
▪ Jean Paul’s attempts to apologize just irritated me even more.
▷ piss somebody off also tick somebody off American /ˌpɪs somebody ˈɒf, ˌtɪk somebody ˈɒf/ [transitive phrasal verb] informal
an impolite expression meaning to annoy someone :
▪ Shut up, Bernie, before you really start to piss me off.
it pisses somebody off the way
▪ Doesn’t it piss you off the way your husband sits in front of the TV every night while you cook dinner?
▷ infuriate /ɪnˈfjʊ ə rieɪt/ [transitive verb]
to make someone very angry especially by doing something that they cannot control or change :
▪ Her racist attitudes infuriated her co-workers.
▪ Kramer’s stubborn refusal to answer any questions infuriated the officers.
▷ anger /ˈæŋgəʳ/ [transitive verb] formal
to make someone angry :
▪ The police department’s handling of the affair has angered many in the community.
▪ The decision to again allow logging in the area angered environmentalists.
▷ bug /bʌg/ [transitive verb] informal
if something bugs you, it annoys you because it is always there or is always happening, so that you cannot stop thinking about it or noticing it :
▪ It really bugs me when I can’t remember someone’s name.
▪ You know what bugs me? Getting a call from a telephone salesman right when I sit down to dinner.
▷ get on somebody’s nerves /ˌget ɒn somebodyˈs ˈnɜːʳvz/ [verb phrase]
if someone or something gets on your nerves, they annoy you, especially by continually saying or doing something that you do not like :
▪ The noise from the apartment upstairs was beginning to get on my nerves.
▪ I hope Emma isn’t going to be there - she really gets on my nerves.
▷ it makes me sick /ɪt ˌmeɪks miː ˈsɪk/ spoken informal
use this to say that something makes you very angry, especially an unfair situation :
▪ It makes me sick, the way they treat old people here.
▷ be like a red rag to a bull British /be like waving a red rag in front of a bull American /biː laɪk ə red ˌræg tʊ ə ˈbʊl, biː laɪk ˌweɪvɪŋ ə red ˌræg ɪn ˌfrʌnt əv ə ˈbʊl/ [verb phrase]
if something is like a red rag to a bull, it will always make a particular person angry :
▪ Whatever you do, don’t mention his ex-wife. It’s like a red rag to a bull.
8. to deliberately make someone angry
▷ provoke /prəˈvəʊk/ [transitive verb]
▪ The dog wouldn’t bite you for just petting her. You must have provoked her.
provoke somebody into (doing) something
▪ Paul tried to provoke Fletcher into a fight.
provocation /ˌprɒvəˈkeɪʃ ə nǁˌprɑː-/ [uncountable noun]
▪ Orson claims that the man attacked him without provocation.
provocative /prəˈvɒkətɪvǁ-ˈvɑː-/ [adjective]
likely to make people angry :
▪ The book’s provocative statements have led to it being banned in some schools. its statements are likely to make people angry .
▷ wind somebody up /ˌwaɪnd somebody ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb] especially British informal
to deliberately say or do something in order to make someone angry, especially because you enjoy making them angry :
▪ She’s married again? You’re winding me up!
▪ He only pretends to be sexist in order to wind me up.
▷ antagonize /ænˈtægənaɪz/ [transitive verb]
to make someone feel angry with you by doing something that they do not like :
▪ The White House does not want to antagonize Beijing.
▪ The police department antagonizes the black community here on an almost regular basis.
9. making you angry
▷ annoying /əˈnɔɪ-ɪŋ/ [adjective]
▪ Jason is one of the most annoying people I have ever met.
▪ Just as I stepped into the shower the phone rang. It was so annoying.
annoyingly [adverb]
▪ My boss’s instructions are always annoyingly vague.
▷ irritating /ˈɪrɪteɪtɪŋ, ˈɪrəteɪtɪŋ/ [adjective]
annoying, especially because something keeps happening that makes you a little angry :
▪ Sammy has an irritating habit of leaving the refrigerator door open while he’s fixing something to eat.
▪ It’s so irritating how Ellen always tries to finish people’s sentences for them.
▷ infuriating also maddening especially British /ɪnˈfjʊ ə rieɪtɪŋ, ˈmæd ə nɪŋ/ [adjective]
making you very angry and impatient :
▪ Jill’s attitude towards the people who work under her is infuriating.
▪ I can’t believe she’s been reading our mail. How infuriating!
▷ be a pain in the neck also be a pain in the ass/butt especially American /biː ə ˌpeɪn ɪn ðə ˈnek, biː ə ˌpeɪn ɪn ði ˈæs, ˈbʌt/ [verb phrase] informal
to be very annoying. Be a pain in the ass/butt are impolite expressions :
▪ It’s such a pain in the neck to have to drive downtown every day.
▪ Bobby’s being a real pain in the butt today. I wish he’d just go home.
▷ stupid /ˈstjuːpɪd, ˈstjuːpədǁˈstuː-/ [adjective only before noun] informal
used when you are talking about something that makes you feel very annoyed or impatient, for example because it does not work properly :
▪ I have to stay late and finish this stupid report.
▪ The stupid gate won’t open properly.
▷ frustrating /frʌˈstreɪtɪŋǁˈfrʌstreɪtɪŋ/ [adjective]
a situation that is frustrating is annoying and makes you feel very impatient by making it impossible for you to do what you want :
▪ It’s so frustrating when you’re in a hurry and the traffic isn’t moving.
▪ Learning a new language can be a frustrating experience.
10. to behave in a very angry way
▷ have/throw a tantrum /ˌhæv, ˌθrəʊ ə ˈtæntrəm/ [verb phrase]
if someone, especially a child, has or throws a tantrum, they shout angrily and cry, especially because they cannot have what they want :
▪ Whenever it’s time for bed she throws a tantrum.
▪ Almost all two-year-olds have tantrums from time to time.
▷ make a scene /ˌmeɪk ə ˈsiːn/ [verb phrase]
to start a loud angry argument with someone, especially in a public place and in a way that is embarrassing :
▪ Please don’t talk so loudly. You’re making a scene.
▪ I hate it when people make a scene in public.
▷ outburst /ˈaʊtbɜːʳst/ [countable noun]
a sudden expression of very strong angry feelings, especially because you cannot control your anger any longer :
▪ I was embarrassed by my husband’s outburst.
▪ Corbin apologized for his outburst at the meeting.
▷ shake your fist /ˌʃeɪk jɔːʳ ˈfɪst/ [verb phrase]
to hold up your hand with the fingers tightly closed and shake it in order to show that you are angry :
▪ The old man shook his fist angrily at the nurse.
▷ stamp your foot /ˌstæmp jɔːʳ ˈfʊt/ [verb phrase]
to bring your foot down hard on the ground because you are angry about something :
▪ ‘Louis, get over here!’ Margret demanded, stamping her foot.
11. often behaving in an angry, unfriendly way
▷ bad-tempered /ˌbæd ˈtempəʳd◂/ [adjective]
▪ Her father was a bad-tempered man who sat alone drinking beer and watching TV most nights.
▪ As Aunt Matilde’s pain grew worse, she became too bad-tempered to see anyone.
▷ grumpy/grouchy /ˈgrʌmpi, ˈgraʊtʃi/ [adjective]
angry and unfriendly, and often complaining about things :
▪ a grumpy old man
▪ Sandy is always grouchy in the mornings.
▷ disagreeable /ˌdɪsəˈgriːəb ə l/ [adjective] especially British
someone who is disagreeable is bad-tempered and very unfriendly and behaves in an unpleasant way towards people :
▪ It’s impossible to have a normal conversation with your father - he’s always so disagreeable.
▪ The landlord is an extremely disagreeable man. Have as little to do with him as possible.
disagreeably [adverb] written :
▪ Joe scowled disagreeably.
▷ moody /ˈmuːdi/ [adjective]
often becoming annoyed or unhappy, especially when there seems to be no good reason to :
▪ Tammy’s been moody and emotional all day.
▪ a moody teenager
▷ uptight /ˈʌptaɪt, ʌpˈtaɪt/ [adjective]
behaving in a bad-tempered way towards other people, especially because you are always nervous or worried about something :
▪ I wish you would stop being so uptight.
uptight about
▪ My parents have always been uptight about me dating boys.
▷ cantankerous /kænˈtæŋk ə rəs/ [adjective]
an old person who is cantankerous is bad-tempered and complains and quarrels a lot :
▪ As Ethel grew older, she became more cantankerous.
▪ Brooks is the committee’s cantankerous chairman.
cantankerously [adverb]
▪ ‘There’s no way you’re putting me in a nursing home,’ said Grandad, cantankerously.
▷ misery /ˈmɪz ə ri/ [singular noun] British spoken
use this about someone who is always complaining and never seems to enjoy anything :
▪ Stop grumbling, you old misery.
▪ Don’t invite her. She’s such a misery!
▷ surly /ˈsɜːʳli/ [adjective]
someone who is surly behaves in a bad-tempered, rude, and unhelpful way when dealing with people :
▪ Passengers complained about the dirty lavatory and surly staff.
▪ Kevin can be really surly sometimes.
▪ I declined to tip the porter, who left with a surly expression.
12. unfriendly and quiet because you are angry
▷ sullen /ˈsʌlən/ [adjective]
someone who is sullen behaves in a bad-tempered, unfriendly way and does not smile or talk much to people :
▪ Dick just sat there with a sullen expression on his face, refusing to speak.
▪ The secretary was sullen and uncooperative.
sullenly [adverb]
▪ The girl behind the counter looked at me sullenly, waiting for me to order.
▷ sulky /ˈsʌlki/ [adjective]
someone who is sulky has an angry, unhappy look on their face and does not talk much, especially because they think they have been treated unfairly :
▪ On the drive home, Maria was sulky and said very little.
▪ William was a sulky little boy who seemed to care for nothing except his video games.
sulkily [adverb]
▪ She just looked at him sulkily and refused to say anything more.
▷ sulk also be in a sulk British /sʌlk, biː ɪn ə ˈsʌlk/ [intransitive verb]
if someone sulks, they are deliberately silent and bad-tempered for a period of time, because something has annoyed them, or because they think that they have been treated unfairly :
▪ Cindy always sulks when I won’t buy her any candy.
▪ You can’t sit around sulking all day.
sulk about something
▪ What are you sulking about now?
13. easily annoyed
▷ irritable /ˈɪrɪtəb ə l, ˈɪrətəb ə l/ [adjective]
easily annoyed by unimportant things, especially because you already feel bad-tempered about something :
▪ Since Steve quit smoking, he’s been really irritable.
▪ Zoe hadn’t had much sleep and was feeling tired and irritable.
▪ You’re turning into an irritable old man.
irritably [adverb]
▪ ‘Do you think you could turn the music down?’ asked Eric irritably.
▷ touchy /ˈtʌtʃi/ [adjective not before noun]
someone who is touchy is easily offended and made angry by things, so you have to be careful what you say to them :
▪ Saiid’s a little touchy about how you pronounce her name.
touchy about
▪ Try not to look at his scars - he can be really touchy about it.
▷ crotchety /ˈkrɒtʃɪti, ˈkrɒtʃətiǁˈkrɑː-/ [adjective]
an old person who is crotchety becomes angry about unimportant things and complains a lot :
▪ a crotchety old man
▪ When we were in Germany, we rented a room from a crotchety old woman named Brunhilde.
▷ short-tempered/quick-tempered /ˌʃɔːʳt ˈtempəʳd◂, ˌkwɪk ˈtempəʳd/ [adjective]
someone who is short-tempered gets angry quickly and easily :
▪ Jackie can be very short-tempered when she’s hungry.
▪ Her father is a quick-tempered man.
▷ have a short fuse /hæv ə ˌʃɔːʳt ˈfjuːz/ [verb phrase not in progressive] informal
to often get angry quickly and easily :
▪ They say the judge has a very short fuse.
14. angry feelings
▷ anger /ˈæŋgəʳ/ [uncountable noun]
▪ He was finding it difficult to control his anger.
▪ Sandra helped us deal with the grief and anger we felt over Patrick’s death.
feel anger towards
▪ Andrea still feels a lot of anger towards her mom, who left when she was a little girl.
do something in anger
▪ I’ve said some things in anger that have almost cost my marriage.
▷ annoyance /əˈnɔɪəns/ [uncountable noun]
slight anger or impatience :
▪ It’s such an annoyance to have to drive you everywhere.
much to the annoyance of somebody
▪ I like to stay up late most nights, much to the annoyance of my girlfriend.
▪ The meetings were held in secret, much to the annoyance of some members of Congress.
▷ temper /ˈtempəʳ/ [countable noun usually singular]
someone who has a temper has a tendency to become very angry suddenly :
▪ Jill needs to learn to control her temper.
▪ His wife left him because of his violent temper.
bad temper
▪ There’s one thing about Don that you should know - he’s got a really bad temper.
▷ rage /reɪdʒ/ [uncountable noun]
a very strong feeling of anger that someone has that is either very difficult for them to control or is expressed very suddenly or violently :
fly into a rage
to suddenly became very angry
▪ When we accused him of lying, he flew into a rage.
shake with rage
to be so angry, you shake
▪ Vera’s hands shook with rage as she read the letter.
in a blind/jealous/terrible rage
▪ Brown killed his wife in a jealous rage.
▷ frustration /frʌˈstreɪʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]
the feeling of being annoyed, caused especially by a difficult or unpleasant situation that you are unable to change or control :
▪ Students have spoken of their growing frustration with school administrators.
▪ The discussion sessions help patients deal with some of the frustrations they may be feeling.
▷ resentment /rɪˈzentmənt/ [uncountable noun]
a feeling of anger because you feel that you are being treated badly or unfairly, and cannot do anything about it :
▪ Patricia stared at the other girls with resentment.
▪ Resentment and jealousy can often build up in relationships.
resentment at/against/of
▪ She couldn’t let go of her resentment over the divorce.
▷ outrage /ˈaʊtreɪdʒ/ [uncountable noun]
a feeling of extreme anger at something wrong, unfair, or immoral, especially among members of the public :
▪ Several parents of affected children have written to the Prime Minister to express their outrage.
▪ Any attempts to lessen his prison sentence will cause public outrage.
▷ irritation /ˌɪrɪˈteɪʃ ə n, ˌɪrəˈteɪʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]
the feeling of being annoyed, caused especially by someone or something that is repeatedly annoying :
irritation with
▪ Bailey expressed irritation with the inaccurate reports in the media.
a source of irritation
something that causes irritation
▪ The heavy traffic is a constant source of irritation.
▷ exasperation /ɪgˌzɑːspəˈreɪʃ ə nǁ-ˌzæs-/ [uncountable noun]
the feeling of being very annoyed because you cannot control a situation, learn to do something, or understand something, even though you are trying very hard :
exasperation with
▪ Many people express exasperation with the National Health Service, but most seem to prefer it to a private system.
in exasperation
▪ He pounded the desk in exasperation.
15. to try to make someone less angry
▷ pacify /ˈpæsɪfaɪ, ˈpæsəfaɪ/ [transitive verb]
to make someone less angry and more calm :
▪ It was no use trying to pacify him; he was simply too upset.
▪ As I drove home, I tried to think how I was going to pacify my wife, who was sure to be angry.
▷ calm somebody down /ˌkɑːm somebody ˈdaʊn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to make someone less angry and upset when they have been very angry or upset :
▪ They had to use drugs to calm him down.
▪ When he was really upset, only his wife could calm him down.