Word
rant
US/ˈɹænt/
UK/ɹˈɑːnt/
Definitions
01to speak angrily
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
v. to speak or shout for a long time because you are angry or have a strong opinion.
v. to speak or declaim at length in an excited, impassioned, or angry manner, often without allowing others to interrupt.
“He started to rant about the high price of coffee again.”
“The customer began to rant at the manager, listing every minor grievance he had experienced since entering the store.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'about'.
02an angry speech
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal
n. a long, angry speech or piece of writing that complains about something.
n. a lengthy, emotional, and sometimes incoherent articulation of a grievance or opinion.
“She went on a long rant about how much she hates modern technology.”
“His social media post was a three-page rant against the local council's new parking regulations.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'go on a rant'.
03a dance step
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Technical · Dialect
n. a specific type of energetic dance step used in traditional English folk dancing.
n. a rhythmic dance step involving crossing one foot in front of the other with a hop, characteristic of North West Morris dancing.
“The dancers performed a traditional rant step during the festival.”
“The instructor spent the afternoon teaching the novices the intricacies of the rant step to ensure the Morris troupe remained in sync.”
Teaching tip
This sense is highly specialised and restricted to folk dance contexts; most learners will only encounter the 'angry speech' meaning.
Real-World Examples
“Nor, for that matter, are the furry pilots themselves, who shared Tuberville’s rant within their group texts with eye roll emojis.” “It was an anti-petit-bourgeois rant against the professional classes.” Etymology
From Dutch ranten, randen (“to talk nonsense, rave”), from Middle Dutch ranten (“to rant, babble, goof around”), of uncertain origin; but apparently related to Middle High German ranzen (“to dance, jump around, frolic”), German ranzen (“to be ardent, be in heat, copulate, mate, ramble, join up”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Idioms
01. rant and rave
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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