furious

adjective

fu·​ri·​ous ˈfyu̇r-ē-əs How to pronounce furious (audio)
1
a(1)
: exhibiting or goaded by anger
She was furious with them for printing the story.
(2)
: indicative of or proceeding from anger
b
: giving a stormy or turbulent appearance
furious bursts of flame
c
: marked by noise, excitement, activity, or rapidity
worked at a furious pace
2
: intense sense 1a
the furious growth of tropical vegetation
furiously adverb

Examples of furious in a Sentence

She's furious at how slowly the investigation is proceeding. I was furious with them for printing the story. We worked all night at a furious pace.
Recent Examples on the Web The furious sound of Moctar’s band, for him, is intended in part to reflect the urgency of the subject matter. Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 4 Mar. 2024 The Heat overcame a brutal start and staged a furious late rally but ultimately succumbed, ending their winning streak at five. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 Pistons coach Monty Williams was incensed after the game and delivered a furious rant in the media room. Sam Joseph, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024 If overwork depletes us, forcing us to abandon our personal lives, then, Jude seems to suggest, our last defense might be to build brand-new selves, ones that are too outrageous and furious to be denied. Beatrice Loayza, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 The speed of Gemini’s upgrade is a sign of a furious AI race kicked off by the success of ChatGPT. Will Knight, WIRED, 15 Feb. 2024 Trump, for his part, seems furious about Powell cutting rates, accusing him of trying to help Biden’s reelection, which, besides breaking the norm of central bank independence, implicitly confirms this aspect of Moody’s analysis. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2024 The age issue is hardly a new one, but the White House was furious that the report’s characterization of Biden overshadowed the fact that the special counsel had declined to charge him. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2024 At first the writer is furious and resents the young man’s sloppy intrusion, seeing him as a rival for the bird’s affections. By Various Book Reviewers, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'furious.' 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

Middle English, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French furieus, from Latin furiosus, from furia madness, fury

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

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

Dictionary Entries Near furious

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

furious

adjective
fu·​ri·​ous ˈfyu̇r-ē-əs How to pronounce furious (audio)
1
: very angry
2
: very active : violent
a furious storm
furiously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on furious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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