English Reference

Word

irate

US/aɪˈɹeɪt/

UK/aɪɹˈeɪt/

Definition

adj. extremely angry. You use this to describe someone who is so upset that they might shout or act in a very rude way.

adj. extremely angry or annoyed. Often used to describe a person's emotional state in response to a perceived slight or failure.

Examples

“The irate customer shouted at the shop assistant.”

“An irate group of residents gathered outside the council office to protest the new parking rules.”

“The irate crowd began to chant for the manager's resignation after the team's third consecutive loss, showing no sign of calming down despite the official apology.”

Examples

simple

“The irate customer shouted at the shop assistant.”

contextual

“An irate group of residents gathered outside the council office to protest the new parking rules.”

complex

“The irate crowd began to chant for the manager's resignation after the team's third consecutive loss, showing no sign of calming down despite the official apology.”

Real-World Examples

“Tiger is irate to find three cheeky human cubs climbing on his back – but when they refuse to be scared off, he becomes increasingly attached to them.”
The Guardian · 18 Sept 2026
“In the wake of the decision, Illfonic’s social media accounts have been flooded with comments from irate Australians.”
The Guardian · 23 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Latin īrātus (“angered, angry”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from īrāscor (“to be angry”), from īra (“anger, wrath”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference