# rant

/ˈɹænt/ (US) · /ɹˈɑːnt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rant
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to speak angrily

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to speak or shout for a long time because you are angry or have a strong opinion.

For teachers: 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'.

### 2. an angry speech

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a long, angry speech or piece of writing that complains about something.

For teachers: 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'.

### 3. a dance step

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Dialect

a specific type of energetic dance step used in traditional English folk dancing.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- He went on a long rant about the new parking rules.
- After the game, the coach delivered a ten-minute rant about the team's lack of focus and poor discipline.
- The editorial was less of a reasoned argument and more of a bitter rant against the modern education system, lacking any constructive suggestions for reform.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.