What does infuriated mean?
Infuriated means extremely angry, to an extent that goes well beyond mild irritation or ordinary annoyance. The word conveys a powerful emotional reaction and is often followed by “with” to identify a person or source of anger, or by “by” or “at” to identify the action or situation that caused it. For example, someone may be infuriated with a colleague for mishandling important information or infuriated by a policy they consider unfair. Infuriated can describe individuals, crowds, and official reactions, and it commonly appears in news reports and strongly worded criticism. Although its meaning overlaps with words such as furious, enraged, and livid, infuriated often gives a somewhat dramatic or emphatic impression. It is appropriate when the intensity of the anger is central to the description.
adjectiveExtremely angry or filled with rage. It describes a person, reaction, or situation marked by intense anger.
- Extremely angry; filled with intense rage.
"She was infuriated by the decision to cancel the event without warning."
"The residents were infuriated by the proposal to close the local hospital."
"He became infuriated when he discovered that his luggage had been lost."
Infuriated is the point where ordinary annoyance gives way to volcanic rage.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does infuriated come from?
Infuriated was formed in English from the verb “infuriate,” which comes through French from Latin roots associated with “fury” and “rage.” The word belongs to the same Latin-derived family as fury, furious, and furore. Its stronger emotional meaning developed alongside its use for provoking or filling someone with intense anger.
Related word forms
How infuriated is actually used
This is a strong, emphatic term. It is common in journalism, everyday speech, and formal writing, though the precise intensity can vary with context. It normally describes a person or group, while “infuriated by” identifies the cause of the anger.
Easily confused with infuriated
Both mean extremely angry, but irate is often more formal and can suggest a powerful or conspicuous anger, whereas infuriated is especially common in forceful descriptions of personal reaction.