ire

1 of 2

noun

: intense and usually openly displayed anger
ire transitive verb
ireful adjective

Ire

2 of 2

abbreviation

Ireland
Choose the Right Synonym for ire

anger, ire, rage, fury, indignation, wrath mean an intense emotional state induced by displeasure.

anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.

tried to hide his anger

ire, more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling.

cheeks flushed with ire

rage and fury suggest loss of self-control from violence of emotion.

shook with rage
could not contain his fury

indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful.

a comment that caused general indignation

wrath is likely to suggest a desire or intent to punish or get revenge.

I feared her wrath if I was discovered

Examples of ire in a Sentence

Noun He directed his ire at the coworkers who reported the incident. the patronizing comment from the snooty waiter roused her ire
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Their home lives are hardly more welcoming, as Doe clashes with Khadija’s abusive white boyfriend Jon (Leo Bill), while Muna regularly attracts the violent ire of her more conservative older brother. Guy Lodge, Variety, 25 Jan. 2025 For another, their ire seemed to be more directed at the NHL and its officials for missing a blatant holding penalty — or penalties — on Conor Garland against Connor McDavid in the dying seconds of a loss. Daniel Nugent-Bowman, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025 Milley served as the Joint Chiefs chairman during Mr. Trump's first term but earned the ire of the president. Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2025 And Ratcliffe said widespread reforms are needed at the CIA, an agency that often has drawn Trump's ire. Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for ire 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin ira; perhaps akin to Greek oistros gadfly, frenzy

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ire was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ire

Cite this Entry

“Ire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ire. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

ire

noun
ire verb
ireful adjective
irefully
-fə-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on ire

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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