irate

adjective

ī-ˈrāt 

ˈī-ˌrāt,

i-ˈrāt

1

: roused to ire

an irate taxpayer

2

: arising from anger

irate words

irately adverb

irateness noun

Synonyms

• angered
• angry
• apoplectic
• ballistic
• cheesed off [chiefly British]
• choleric
• enraged
• foaming
• fuming
• furious
• hopping
• horn-mad
• hot
• incensed
• indignant
• inflamed
• enflamed
• infuriate
• infuriated
• ireful
• livid
• mad
• outraged
• rabid
• rankled
• riled
• riley
• roiled
• shirty [chiefly British]
• sore
• steamed up
• steaming
• teed off
• ticked
• wrathful
• wroth

Examples of irate in a Sentence

Irate viewers called the television network to complain about the show.

the big increase in cable rates prompted a flood of irate calls and letters

Recent Examples on the Web

So, for now, umpires, batters, and the occasional irate manager can still meet at home plate to snarl over balls and strike calls. —Julia Andersen, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2025

But the comments section had less sympathy for the irate woman and determined the poster was not in the wrong. —Moná Thomas, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025

So far, Canada’s famously fickle — and now irate — voters have shown more trust in the Liberals, who are leading the opposition Conservatives in opinion polls for the first time since 2021. —Josh Fellman, Quartz, 9 Mar. 2025

The Zelensky press conference spat generated blizzards of irate commentary followed by all manner of disinformation and a great deal of division within the US. —Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for irate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

irate

adjective

ī-ˈrāt 

: angry sense 1a

irately adverb

irateness noun