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as in shrew
a bad-tempered scolding woman tradition has it that Socrates' wife was such a fury that the philosopher's death sentence by the authorities was not an entirely unwelcome fate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun fury differ from other similar words?

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.

shook with rage
could not contain his fury

When might anger be a better fit than fury?

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.

tried to hide his anger

In what contexts can indignation take the place of fury?

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.

a comment that caused general indignation

When is it sensible to use ire instead of fury?

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.

cheeks flushed with ire

When would wrath be a good substitute for fury?

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.

I feared her wrath if I was discovered

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of fury Still, Thune’s post sparked fury from some prominent conservatives. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025 By Tuesday, fury was growing among the public – and the Israeli government – over how few of the deceased hostages had been returned by Hamas. Kara Fox, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025 Federal police in face masks and tactical gear have employed aggressive tactics in an effort to safely carry out arrests of criminals, prompting fury from community members and leading to blowback. Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2025 Hell hath no fury like… an ex scorned? Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fury
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fury
Noun
  • The 2025 list of extinctions includes a bird, a shrew and a species of snail, among others.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The shrew is one of these mammals, according to the study.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • New technologies at work cause something of a feeding frenzy.
    Nick Tzitzon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The pair weathered the media frenzy, however.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But in Israel, some of the relief felt in the wake of the agreement has been eclipsed by anger that Hamas so far has released only the remains of nine of the 28 deceased hostages held in Gaza.
    Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The Owensboro news media and some white onlookers insist that when the lady sheriff didn’t show up to act as executioner, there was anger in the press’s unmet expectations, which then was taken out on the crowd, with the reporters lying about the audience’s unruly behavior.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In July 2011, a Norwegian neo-Nazi went on a rampage, detonating a bomb in Oslo, Norway, before opening fire at a Labour Party youth camp on nearby Utoya Island.
    Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
  • This Abel Ferrara cult classic follows a mute seamstress who goes on a revenge rampage after being attacked twice in one day on the streets of New York.
    Emma Specter, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • She was particularly distressed by Kennedy’s June decision to fire the entire vaccine advisory board and stack it with his allies, but recent months have offered even more opportunities for stress and indignation.
    Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2025
  • McBride sets the political context for Swift’s savage indignation by noting that 1727–1729 saw three successive harvest failures in Ireland.
    Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Kinahans seemed to be acting out of pure rage.
    Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
  • But in 2014, rage in the streets of Ferguson, Missouri, over the killing of Michael Brown by police helped stoke a movement that shaped the next decade of American life.
    Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • After a soggy weekend, Arizona is finally getting some relief from Priscilla’s wrath.
    Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 13 Oct. 2025
  • When Hernán helps Julia and her young daughter, Maribel, navigate treacherous borderlands, their desperate journey triggers the wrath of a ruthless trafficking syndicate.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The situation sparked outrage in Miami and nationwide, citing it as an example of a violation of freedom of speech.
    Edda Leon, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Photos of the gaggle of fans were shared on social media, and Swift’s fans expressed their outrage at the scene.
    Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fury.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fury. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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