Anger is a powerful and universal emotion, and the English language—especially American English—is full of colorful idioms to express it.
Whether someone’s losing their temper, showing irritation, or reacting explosively, there are vivid phrases that capture every shade of frustration.
27 Idioms for Anger
1. Blow a fuse / Blow a gasket
Meaning: To suddenly become very angry.
Usage Word: blow / blew / blowing
- He blew a fuse when he saw the dent in his new truck.
- She’s always blowing a gasket over the smallest things.
2. See red
Meaning: To suddenly feel extreme anger.
Usage Word: see / saw / seeing
- He sees red anytime someone touches his tools.
- The moment they called me a cheater, I saw red.
3. Hit the roof / Hit the ceiling
Meaning: To react to something with explosive anger.
Usage Word: hit / hitting
- My dad hit the roof when I failed my math test.
- She hit the ceiling after being charged twice for the same item.
4. Fly off the handle
Meaning: To suddenly lose control and get angry.
Usage Word: fly / flew / flying
- He flew off the handle when he got cut off on the highway.
- Don’t fly off the handle—it was just an honest mistake.
5. Hot under the collar
Meaning: Annoyed or visibly angry.
Usage Word: is / was / got hot under the collar
- He got hot under the collar after the manager blamed him.
- She was hot under the collar during the entire conversation.
6. Get bent out of shape
Meaning: To become very upset or angry, especially over something minor.
Usage Word: get / got / getting
- He got bent out of shape over a parking ticket.
- Don’t get bent out of shape—we can fix it easily.
7. Have a bone to pick
Meaning: To have a complaint or issue to argue about.
Usage Word: have / had
- I have a bone to pick with you about the meeting notes.
- She had a bone to pick with her landlord over the broken heater.
8. Go ballistic
Meaning: To become extremely angry.
Usage Word: go / went / going
- He went ballistic when he found out the game was canceled.
- She’s going to go ballistic when she sees the electric bill.
9. Lose it
Meaning: To lose control of one’s temper.
Usage Word: lose / lost / losing it
- I lost it when the internet crashed during my job interview.
- She nearly lost it after her coffee spilled all over the report.
10. At the end of your rope
Meaning: So frustrated or stressed that you can’t deal with it anymore.
Usage Word: am / is / was at the end of my rope
- I was at the end of my rope after three nights with no sleep.
- He is at the end of his rope trying to juggle work and school.
11. Get on someone’s nerves
Meaning: To annoy or irritate someone.
Usage Word: gets / got on my nerves
- That loud chewing really gets on my nerves.
- He got on my nerves after asking the same question five times.
12. Go off the deep end
Meaning: To react with uncontrollable anger.
Usage Word: went / going off the deep end
- She went off the deep end when her flight got canceled.
- He’s going off the deep end about the stolen package.
13. In a huff
Meaning: Acting angrily or irritated, often by leaving or sulking.
Usage Word: left / was in a huff
- She left in a huff after the argument.
- He was in a huff for the rest of the night.
14. Have a short fuse
Meaning: To get angry easily.
Usage Word: has / had a short fuse
- My boss has a short fuse, so don’t mess up the report.
- He had a short fuse even before the coffee spill.
15. Rub someone the wrong way
Meaning: To irritate or anger someone unintentionally.
Usage Word: rubs / rubbed the wrong way
- His sarcasm really rubs me the wrong way.
- I rubbed her the wrong way by joking about her team.
16. Kick up a fuss
Meaning: To make a scene or become angry, especially in public.
Usage Word: kicked / kicks up a fuss
- She kicked up a fuss when her order was wrong.
- He always kicks up a fuss at the airport check-in.
17. Jump down someone’s throat
Meaning: To respond angrily or aggressively to someone.
Usage Word: jumped / jumps down someone’s throat
- He jumped down my throat when I asked a simple question.
- Don’t jump down her throat—she was just trying to help.
18. Bite someone’s head off
Meaning: To snap at someone in anger.
Usage Word: bit / bites someone’s head off
- She bit my head off just for reminding her about the deadline.
- He always bites people’s heads off when he’s under stress.
19. Storm out
Meaning: To leave angrily and suddenly.
Usage Word: stormed / storms out
- He stormed out of the meeting after being interrupted.
- She storms out every time we disagree.
20. Fume
Meaning: To be visibly or internally angry.
Usage Word: fuming / was fuming
- She was fuming when the restaurant got her order wrong.
- I sat there fuming while he took all the credit.
21. Chew someone out
Meaning: To scold someone harshly.
Usage Word: chewed / chews someone out
- My coach chewed me out for missing practice.
- He chews out his employees over the smallest mistakes.
22. Give someone a piece of your mind
Meaning: To angrily express your disapproval.
Usage Word: gave / gives someone a piece of my mind
- I gave him a piece of my mind after that rude comment.
- She always gives people a piece of her mind when things go wrong.
23. Throw a tantrum
Meaning: To act out angrily, like a child.
Usage Word: threw / throws a tantrum
- The customer threw a tantrum over the price increase.
- He throws a tantrum every time someone disagrees with him.
24. Lose your cool
Meaning: To lose composure and become angry.
Usage Word: lost / loses my cool
- I lost my cool during the traffic jam.
- He loses his cool whenever the internet goes out.
25. Go nuts
Meaning: To react with anger or extreme emotion.
Usage Word: went / going nuts
- She went nuts when the kids broke her vase.
- He’s going nuts over the tax situation.
26. Pitch a fit
Meaning: To throw a loud or dramatic tantrum.
Usage Word: pitched / pitches a fit
- She pitched a fit in the store over the return policy.
- He pitches a fit every time his food is late.
27. See someone’s true colors
Meaning: To finally see someone’s bad or angry side.
Usage Word: saw / sees someone’s true colors
- I saw her true colors when she yelled at the waiter.
- He sees his coworker’s true colors when things don’t go his way.
