ire

1 of 2

noun

ˈī(-ə)r How to pronounce ire (audio)
Synonyms of ire
: intense and usually openly displayed anger
ire transitive verb
ireful
ˈī(-ə)r-fəl How to pronounce ire (audio)
adjective

Ire

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abbreviation

Ireland

Synonyms of ire

Relevance

Noun

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The Mariners’ woes have put manager Dan Wilson on the hot seat and cast more ire toward president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto. — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Local leaders in Festus also felt residents’ ire at the polls after approving development agreements for a $6 billion data center; this April, Festus voters turned out en masse to kick four incumbent city councilmembers off the dais. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026 The obvious and stated precursor to Daisy Chain Fields is the Gen X mainstay Lilith Fair, the touring festival of female artists sprung from Sarah McLachlan’s justified ire over sexism in the music industry. — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026 Lawmakers tried twice to require every law enforcement agency in the state to apply for these 287(g) agreements, which drew the ire of Idaho law enforcement. — Idaho Statesman, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ire

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

Rhymes for ire

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Browse Nearby Words

IR drop
ire
Ire
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Cite this Entry

“Ire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ire. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ire

noun
ˈī(ə)r How to pronounce ire (audio)
: anger entry 1
ire verb
ireful
-fəl How to pronounce ire (audio)
adjective
irefully
-fə-lē
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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