WRATH
A DICTIONARY FOR THE ENRAGED
JENNIFER M. WOOD
An Introduction to
Wrath
wrath
(rath)
NOUN:
An intense anger; a vengeful punishment.
Many sins sow the seeds for war, but the unmitigated rage responsible for its execution
comes from wrath. The destruction, the loss, the pain—all are left in the wake of this
particular sin. Whether it comes down from on high like the gods’ rage in Homer’s Odyssey or
boils up from inside like the fuel of Ahab’s vengeful voyage, the vice’s choking grip has been
felt throughout history and literature. Sometimes justi ed, oftentimes not, the results are
always the same. While wrath is best de ned in the gritted teeth and white-knuckled st of
the enraged, this short dictionary captures the spirit of the most combative sin.
A
abash
(uh-BASH)
VERB: To humiliate, shame, or embarrass someone.
abhorrent
(ab-HOR-ent)
ADJECTIVE: Repulsive or reprehensible.
abominate
(uh-BOM-ih-nayt)
VERB: To detest or hate intensely.
Even though the divorce was nalized, it didn’t change the fact that Rachel still ABOMINATED
her ex-husband for having an affair.
acerbate
(AS-er-bayt)
VERB OR ADJECTIVE:
As a verb, to exasperate. As an adjective, embittered.
acrid
(AK-rid)
Most often used to describe something that is bitter or harsh in smell or taste, the
word can be applied in a more general sense to anything that is extremely angry and bitter.
ADJECTIVE:
acrimonious
(ak-ri-MO-nee-us)
ADJECTIVE:
Bitter or hostile; something that is acrimonious is filled with anger and animosity.
adverse
(AD-vers)
ADJECTIVE:
Acting in opposition to or in an antagonistic manner; unfavorable; hostile.
affliction
(uh-FLICK-shun)
NOUN: A condition of physical or mental suffering; hardship.
Sophie’s self-hatred became such an AFFLICTION that no one was surprised by her eventual
suicide.
aggravate
(AG-ruh-vayt)
VERB: to make worse; to intensify; to cause to become irritated or inflamed.
alienate
(AY-lee-uh-nayt)
VERB: To isolate or make someone feel as if he or she no longer belongs somewhere; estrange.
amerce
(uh-MERSS)
VERB: To punish, especially with a monetary fine.
anathema
(uh-NATH-eh-muh)
NOUN: A person or thing that is shunned because it is extremely disliked or loathsome.
anger
(ANG-ger)
NOUN OR VERB:
As a noun, a strong feeling of displeasure. As a verb, to arouse wrath within.
animadversion
(an-uh-mad-VER-zhun)
NOUN:
An extremely critical and reproachful comment.
animosity
(an-ih-MOSS-ih-tee)
NOUN: Extreme hostility or resentment.
animus
(AN-uh-muss)
NOUN: Hostility or ill feeling.
I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath,
my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not,
my wrath did grow.
—WILLIAM BLAKE
antagonism
(an-TAG-uh-niz-uhm)
NOUN: An opposition between unfriendly or conflicting people or groups.
antipathy
(an-TIP-uh-thee)
NOUN:
A feeling of strong revulsion or hostility or the source of that hostility.
If you feel such ANTIPATHY towards your job, why do you continue to go?
apocalyptic
(uh-pok-uh-LIP-tik)
As in the Bible’s book of Revelation, apocalyptic refers to an event involving
widespread destruction or disaster.
ADJECTIVE:
apoplectic
(ap-uh-PLECK-tic)
ADJECTIVE: An “apoplexy” is a stroke, so apoplectic can refer to the symptoms of a stroke, but
it also refers to being in a state of extreme anger or rage.
arson
(AHR-suhn)
NOUN: The intentional destruction of property by fire for malicious reasons.
artifice
(ART-ih-fuss)
NOUN: Clever trickery or deceit.
Through your well-rehearsed ARTIFICE you were able to embezzle over $40,000.
askance
(uh-SKANTS)
ADVERB: Can refer to looking at something in a sideways manner or with suspicion or
disapproval; doubtfully.
asperity
(a-SPAYR-ih-tee)
NOUN:
A manner that is harsh or severe; brusqueness.
aspersion
(uh-SPUR-zhun)
A slanderous or defamatory charge; false accusation. The word is often used in the
plural.
NOUN:
aversion
(uh-VUR-zhun)
NOUN: Extreme hatred or loathing; repugnance.
B
baleful
(BAYL-ful)
ADJECTIVE: Threatening misfortune to come; ominous.
bane
(bayn)
NOUN: Something that causes harm or destruction; scourge.
barbarism
(BAR-ber-ism)
NOUN: Uncivilized or brutal behavior or actions; savagery.
bedlam
(BED-lum)
NOUN: A situation marked by confusion or chaos; mayhem.
During the riots out in the streets, the BEDLAM was such that we were unable to get in or out of
our flat.
belabor
(bih-LAY-burr)
VERB: To attack or assault either physically or verbally.
beleaguer
(bee-LEEG-urr)
VERB: To besiege or harass a person; bother.
belligerent
(buh-LIJ-er-ent)
ADJECTIVE: From the Latin word for “war,” a belligerent person is someone who is
argumentative or pugnacious.
bemoan
(bih-MOAN)
VERB: To express regret or disappointment; lament.
Never one to be content, Isabel was always the first to BEMOAN the restaurant choice.
besiege
(bih-SEEJ)
VERB: To surround a person or group in an attempt to capture it; to harass or overwhelm.
bestial
(BESS-chul)
ADJECTIVE: Beastly or inhuman; savage or brutal.
Anger and jealousy can no more bear to lose sight of
their objects than love.
—GEORGE ELIOT
bête noire
(bett NWAHR)
NOUN: French for “black beast,” bête noire is an extremely disliked or frightening person or
thing.
bilious
(BILL-yes)
Related to the word “bile,” bilious refers to a thing or person that is unsettling or
irritable; bad-tempered.
ADJECTIVE:
blacklist
(BLAK-list)
VERB: To shun a person because his or her behavior goes against something that is considered
right or moral.
bludgeon
(BLUD-jun)
VERB: To beat someone repeatedly with an object. As a noun, a bludgeon is a club that can be
used as a weapon.
bluster
(BLUS-ter)
VERB: To behave in a loud, obnoxious way or in a manner that could threaten someone;
harangue.
Not normally one to BLUSTER, it was surprising when Timothy yelled o ensive statements out
of the window.
boil
(boyl)
VERB: Most commonly used in reference to the point where a liquid becomes a gas, to boil also
means to seethe with anger; fume.
bombard
(bom-BARD)
VERB:
To place under attack; assail.
bout
(bowt)
NOUN:
fight.
A short period of time spent doing something, like a bout with the u, or a contest or
brandish
(BRAN-dish)
VERB: To show something in a menacing way; wield.
Annabel will BRANDISH the knife to her husband, whether or not she intends to use it, if he
threatens her again.
brash
(brash)
ADJECTIVE:
Impetuous or hasty; aggressive.
brazen
(BRAY-zun)
ADJECTIVE: Bold or brash; shameless. The adverb form is brazenly.
brouhaha
(BROO-ha-ha)
NOUN: An event marked by noise or conflict; a commotion or ruckus.
brunt
(brunt)
NOUN:
The primary force or impact of something, as in an attack.
brusque
(brusk)
ADJECTIVE:
An abrupt or short manner; curt.
bugaboo
(BUG-uh-boo)
NOUN: A person or thing that causes obsessive fear or anxiety; a persistent problem.
The dark gure on the corner of my street causes such a BUGABOO that the other neighbors
and I have taken to walking the long way home.
Control thy passions,
lest they take vengeance
on thee.
—EPICTETUS
bull
(bull)
VERB:
To push or drive powerfully or violently.
bumptious
(BUMP-shuss)
ADJECTIVE: Overbearing and self-important; pushy.
I’m tired of Peter being so BUMPTIOUS toward his wife; she is never able to make any
decisions or even speak without being interrupted.
C
calamity
(kuh-LAMM-ih-tee)
NOUN: An event causing great misfortune or disaster; misery that results from a disaster.
callous
(KAL-uss)
ADJECTIVE:
Unconcerned about others’ feelings; heartless.
calumny
(KAL-um-nee)
NOUN: A false or slanderous statement made with malicious intent; defamation.
canard
(kuh-NARD)
NOUN: A false accusation or fabrication; a rumor.
It was cruel of Colette to invent such a CANARD about her sister, especially considering how
many others she told.
cantankerous
(kan-TANG-ker-us)
ADJECTIVE: Argumentative or irritable.
captious
(KAP-shuss)
ADJECTIVE: Describes a person who is extremely critical and often
trivial matters.
nds fault with others for
carp
(karp)
VERB: To complain loudly and excessively, particularly about trivial matters.
There is no need to continue to CARP about your dislike for tonight’s dinner; tomorrow night
you can prepare your own.
castigate
(KASS-tuh-gate)
VERB: To reprimand or punish severely; criticize.
cataclysm
(kat-uh-KLIZZ-uhm)
NOUN: A sudden and destructive change or upheaval; a catastrophe.
caustic
(KOSS-tick)
ADJECTIVE: Biting or particularly sarcastic; scathing.
cavil
(KAV-ihl)
VERB: To complain or split hairs regarding trivial matters.
censorious
(sen-SOR-ee-us)
ADJECTIVE: Extremely disapproving or critical; stern.
censure
(SEN-sher)
To fault or disapprove of something; criticize. As a noun, the word refers to extreme
criticism.
VERB:
chafe
(chayf)
VERB: To rub or cause friction; to irritate or annoy.
chagrin
(shuh-GRIN)
NOUN: Feeling humiliated or mortified as a result of an embarrassing situation.
Though it gave her much CHAGRIN, Petra held her head high and walked through the crowd
with half of her dress missing.
He enter’d,
but he enter’d full of wrath.
—JOHN KEATS
chide
(chyd)
VERB: To scold or reprimand someone; reproach.
choler
(KAHL-er)
NOUN: Anger or irritability.
clamor
(KLAM-uhr)
NOUN:
A loud uproar or disturbance; upheaval.
clout
(klowt)
The in uence or importance a person or thing holds; as a verb, it means to hit
somebody with one’s hand.
NOUN:
collude
(kuh-LOOD)
VERB: To conspire or scheme with someone for the purpose of doing something illegal.
Tonight we will COLLUDE with the other thieves in preparation for tomorrow’s heist.
complicit
(kum-PLIS-it)
ADJECTIVE: To be involved in something illicit.
contemptuous
(kun-TEMP-choo-us)
ADJECTIVE: Expressing disdain or disapproval; scornful.
contentious
(kuhn-TEN-chuss)
ADJECTIVE: Having a tendency to disagree or fight; argumentative.
Our marriage has become increasingly CONTENTIOUS; it seems we can no longer go a day
without an argument.
contravene
(kon-truh-VEEN)
VERB: To disobey or break a rule.
contrive
(kun-TRYV)
VERB: To plot or scheme; to accomplish something by being clever.
controvert
(KON-truh-VERT)
VERB: To strongly oppose something; refute.
In battling evil, excess is good; for he who is moderate in
announcing the truth is presenting half-truth. He
conceals the other half out of fear of other people’s
wrath.
—KAHLIL GIBRAN
contumely
(kon-TYOO-muh-lee)
NOUN: Insulting or contemptuous behavior or language arising from arrogance.
coup de grâce
(koo duh GRAHS)
NOUN: The final event or stroke that brings a situation to a conclusion; a death blow.
Most believe it was the suspicion of sorcery that was the COUP DE GRÂCE for Mary’s
beheading, but others feel it was long in coming.
culpability
(kul-puh-BILL-ih-tee)
NOUN:
Accountability or responsibility for some sort of wrongdoing.
D
dander
(DAN-der)
NOUN: Anger or bad humor.
dauntless
(DAWNT-luss)
ADJECTIVE: Unable to be frightened or intimidated; fearless.
Years of crime and abuse made him DAUNTLESS; even backed into a corner and
outnumbered, he was not afraid.
deadlock
(DED-lok)
NOUN: A standstill that occurs when two opposing forces can no longer progress any further in
a dispute; impasse.
debacle
(dih-BA-kull)
NOUN: A disaster or catastrophe; an absolute fiasco.
debase
(dih-BAYS)
VERB: To reduce in value or status.
decry
(dih-CRY)
VERB:
To criticize or condemn; belittle.
deface
(dih-FAYS)
VERB:
To ruin or damage the appearance of something; soil.
defamation
(def-uh-MAY-shun)
NOUN: An unfounded attack on someone’s reputation; slander.
You must apologize to Irene for announcing her misdeeds to the public; such DEFAMATION
was not warranted.
defenestration
(dee-FEN-uh-STRAY-shun)
NOUN: The act of throwing an object or person out of a window.
deign
(dayn)
VERB: To condescend or demean oneself; to stoop.
deleterious
(del-ih-TEER-ee-us)
ADJECTIVE: An effect that is harmful or damaging.
delusion
(de-LOO-zhun)
NOUN: A false illusion or belief; fallacy.
Even with your success as a model, your extreme self-loathing has you under the DELUSION
that you are not beautiful.
denigrate
(DEN-ih-grayt)
VERB: To disparage one’s character or reputation; defame.
denounce
(dih-NOWNTS)
VERB: To criticize harshly; condemn.
deplorable
(de-PLOHR-uh-bull)
ADJECTIVE: Wretched or dreadful.
depose
(dih-POHZ)
VERB: To remove someone from a position of authority. In a legal sense, it means to record
the testimony of someone who is under oath.
depraved
(duh-PRAYVD)
ADJECTIVE: Immoral or wicked; degenerate.
depravity
(dih-PRAV-ih-tee)
NOUN: A state of corruption or immorality; wickedness.
deprecate
(DEP-rih-kate)
VERB: To condemn or belittle a person, thing, or idea; criticize.
derange
(dih-RAYNJ)
VERB: To throw into disorder; to disturb the condition of; to make insane.
deride
(dih-RYD)
VERB: To ridicule or mock someone with malicious intent; disparage.
derision
(de-RIZH-un)
NOUN: Scorn or contempt for a person, thing, or idea.
Her unfounded DERISION for cultures other than her own made traveling to foreign countries
loathsome.
derogatory
(dih-ROG-uh-tore-ee)
ADJECTIVE: Insulting or offensive; disparaging.
desecrate
(DESS-ih-krayt)
VERB: To damage or destroy something sacred; defile.
despotism
(DESS-po-tiz-um)
NOUN: Authoritarian rule. Despotism is a system where one dominant gure exercises complete
power.
Since Hitler’s DESPOTISM, Germans have been wary of authority
nowhere and gaining power quickly.
gures emerging from
détente
(DAY-tahnt)
NOUN: From the French word meaning “to slacken,” détente is a reduction of hostility in a
strained relationship.
detrimental
(det-rih-MEN-tul)
ADJECTIVE: Having a damaging or harmful effect.
diabolical
(dye-uh-BOL-ih-kul)
ADJECTIVE: Stemming from the word for “devil,” something that is diabolical is wicked or evil.
diatribe
(DY-uh-tryb)
NOUN: An abusive verbal or written attack against a person or idea.
dichotomy
(dy-KOT-uh-mee)
NOUN: The division of two contrasting parts or ideas.
disabuse
(diss-uh-BYOOZ)
VERB: To realize or force someone else to realize that an incorrect notion is, in fact, incorrect.
disapprobation