Idioms are those strange phrases that don’t make much sense until you know what they really mean. But once you understand them, they can make your everyday conversations more colorful and expressive. Today, we will look into idioms that are about the strong and fiery emotion of anger.
There are countless idioms about anger. These phrases vividly show someone’s temper or a heated situation, making the emotions easy to understand. Anger idioms are found in many languages, showing their widespread use and their ability to make conversations more colorful and impactful.
We’ve created expressive visuals to animate these anger idioms. These illustrations turn ordinary expressions into dramatic scenes, ideal for sharing on social media or sending to friends, adding an intriguing visual dimension to your messages.
10 Anger Idioms And Their Examples
- Go Ape
- Spit Fire
- Boil Over
- Have a Meltdown
- Blow Your Stack
- Get Hot Under the Collar
- Have a Bone to Pick
- Get All Riled Up
- Get Bent Out of Shape
- Get Someone’s Danger Up
1. Go Ape
Meaning: To become extremely angry and out of control.
The English expression “go ape” is used to express anger. People who lose control in extreme anger are generally described through this idiom, just like apes who can suddenly go from calm to wildly furious.
Example: When John saw that his car had been keyed, he went ape and started yelling profanities.
2. Spit Fire
Meaning: To express intense anger through angry words or actions.
“Spit fire” is an idiom that means to express extreme anger through harsh words that would hurt someone mentally.
Example: The manager was spitting fire at the employees after the costly mistake, scolding them for their carelessness.
3. Boil Over
Meaning: To allow anger or another intense emotion to erupt or express itself in an uncontrolled way.
“Boil over” is an idiom used to describe anger that has been building up for a while and suddenly erupts, passing the limit, just like a boiling pot of water that spills over after a certain time of boiling.
Example: Julie’s frustrations about the project delays finally boiled over during the meeting when she loudly criticized her team members.
4. Have a Meltdown
Meaning: To lose control of one’s emotions, often exhibiting an angry outburst or breakdown.
Yelling or shouting are not the only ways to express anger. Sometimes people also break down in anger. “Have a meltdown” is an idiom used to describe people who lose control completely due to overwhelming anger or stress, and their anger comes in the form of tears, screaming, or some other strong reaction.
Example: The toddler had a meltdown at the grocery store, screaming and throwing items off the shelves when his mother refused to buy him a toy.
5. Blow Your Stack
Meaning: To lose one’s temper or become extremely angry.
If you are a violent person and someone abuses you, your sudden and explosive reaction, such as slapping or abusing them back, could be referred to as “blowing your stack.”
Example: I thought Dad was going to blow his stack when he saw the dent in the car’s fender.
6. Get Hot Under The Collar
Meaning: To become angry, upset or flustered.
To “get hot under the collar” means to become very angry or agitated, often visibly. It’s like feeling a physical heat rising, making you noticeably uncomfortable and upset.
Example: Jim gets hot under the collar whenever his coworkers show up late to meetings without any explanation.
7. Have a Bone to Pick
Meaning: To have a grievance or issue to discuss with someone.
When someone “has a bone to pick,” it means they are angry or annoyed about something and want to discuss it. It’s like having a specific grievance or issue they need to address, often leading to a heated conversation to resolve their frustration.
Example: I have a bone to pick with you about the way you handled that project yesterday.
8. Get All Riled Up
Meaning: To become angry, excited or agitated.
A strong reaction to someone’s provocation is generally referred to as “getting all riled up.” If you intentionally stir a hornet’s nest, then you are going to get in trouble.
Example: The protesters got all riled up when the politician made an insensitive comment during the speech.
9. Get Bent Out of Shape
Meaning: To become upset, angry or overly excited about something.
“Get bent out of shape” is used to describe a person who gets angry for silly reasons and who does not show maturity.
Example: Jessica gets bent out of shape anytime her husband forgets to call and say he’ll be late from work.
10. Get Someone’s Dander Up
Meaning: To provoke or irritate someone, making them angry.
“Get someone’s dander up” refers to intentionally provoking or irritating someone to get them angry. This idiom describes a person who intentionally gets someone into a fight.
Example: The constant noise from the construction site next door really gets my dander up in the mornings when I’m trying to sleep.
Idioms For Anger With Pictures
These anger idioms images perfectly capture the meanings behind common idioms. Just by looking at the pictures, you can easily guess which idiom is being depicted. With these clear and on-point idiom infographics, understanding the real meanings of anger-related idioms becomes easy. The images bring life into these colorful phrases in an insightful way.
- Blow a Fuse
2. Hit the Roof
3. See Red
5. Go Ballastic
6. Pop a Blood Vessel
7. Spit Nails
8. Steaming Mad
Enjoying these idioms? We have a whole idioms collection for you to explore! Our massive idioms library is categorized into various themes, so you can find the perfect expression – whether it’s a side-splitting funny saying or a wise proverb.
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