ire

1 of 2

noun

: intense and usually openly displayed anger
ire transitive verb
ireful adjective

Ire

2 of 2

abbreviation

Ireland
Choose the Right Synonym for ire

anger, ire, rage, fury, indignation, wrath mean an intense emotional state induced by displeasure.

anger, the most general term, names the reaction but by itself does not convey cause or intensity.

tried to hide his anger

ire, more frequent in literary contexts, suggests an intense anger, often with an evident display of feeling.

cheeks flushed with ire

rage and fury suggest loss of self-control from violence of emotion.

shook with rage
could not contain his fury

indignation stresses righteous anger at what one considers unfair, mean, or shameful.

a comment that caused general indignation

wrath is likely to suggest a desire or intent to punish or get revenge.

I feared her wrath if I was discovered

Examples of ire in a Sentence

Noun He directed his ire at the coworkers who reported the incident. the patronizing comment from the snooty waiter roused her ire
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Southern California’s oceanside Republican stronghold continued its rightward march this week, as voters appeared likely to approve two controversial ballot measures that are sure to draw ire and, in one case, legal action from the state’s liberal leaders. Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Having one fewer home game to attend has drawn the ire of season-ticket holders online. Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 8 Mar. 2024 For much of the season, Kansas guard Nick Timberlake has drawn the ire of KU fans. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2024 And while the areas where settlements encroach on Palestinian land have always been prone to violence, settler attacks on Palestinians have spiraled out of control in recent months, raising the ire of the US. Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 17 Feb. 2024 The Lakers took 23 more free throws (36-13) than the Raptors in their victory, including a 23-2 free-throw advantage for the hosts in the fourth quarter – which drew the ire of Raptors coach Darko Rajaković, who went on a furious, table-pounding rant about the officiating postgame. Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 But on Thursday, the president aimed more of his ire at the Times. The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 24 Feb. 2024 The Street Profits Prior to this segment, Bobby Lashley reminded Drew McIntyre of Lashley’s win at WrestleMania 37, drawing the ire of the increasingly petty McIntyre. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Unlicensed marijuana delivery companies are operating across Sacramento County, drawing the ire of legal pot retailers and warnings from state and local regulators. Brad Branan, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ire.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin ira; perhaps akin to Greek oistros gadfly, frenzy

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ire was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ire

Cite this Entry

“Ire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ire. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ire

noun
ire verb
ireful adjective
irefully
-fə-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on ire

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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