• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

English By Day

Everything you need to know about learning english

39 Angry Idioms And Phrases (Meaning & Examples)

January 31, 2022 by Wes

Are you looking for some good angry idioms?

If so, you are in the right place.

Let’s take a look at 39 common angry idioms and how to use them.

angry idioms

39 Angry Idioms And Phrases (Meaning & Examples)

1. To Fly Off The Handle

  • Meaning: used to describe a person that suddenly gets really angry.
  • Use In A Sentence: Every time someone talks about the changes in the school policy, Jessica flies off the handle.

2. To Blow A Fuse

  • Meaning: to lose one’s temper.
  • Use In A Sentence: Dad blew a fuse when he found out that my brother had skipped school that day. Good thing he didn’t realize Cathy skipped school too.

3. To Have A Short Fuse

  • Meaning: a person who gets angry very easily. A person with a short temper.
  • Use In A Sentence: I always thought Jeff was a calm person, but after spending a weekend with him I learned he has a short fuse.

4. To Have A Fit

  • Meaning: to become very upset.
  • Use In A Sentence: Don’t have a fit! I will clean up the living room when I am done. In the meantime, I need to use the room for my art project.

5. To Drive One Up A Wall

  • Meaning: to annoy someone to the point that they get upset.
  • Use In A Sentence: The neighbor’s dog drives my dad up a wall. If they don’t learn to keep their dog quiet, I am afraid my dad my do something he will later regret.

6. To Flip Out

  • Meaning: to suddenly become angry.
  • Use In A Sentence: Dad is going to flip out when he finds out that we broke the back window playing soccer in the house. I just hope I’m not here when he finds out.

7. The Last Straw

  • Meaning: the final irritation that causes a person to lose his patience and become very upset.
  • Use In A Sentence: Ok, that is the last straw! I can’t take this anymore! I told you, kids, to stop fighting, but now I am going to turn the car around and we are going home.

8. To Be Mad As A Hornet

  • Meaning: to be enraged.
  • Use In A Sentence: He was as mad as a hornet when he saw the damage to the house.

9. To Get One’s Panties In A Bunch/Knot

  • Meaning: to get angry about something.
  • Use In A Sentence: Don’t get your panties in a bunch, I am sure it was just a misunderstanding.

10. To Get/Be Hot Under The Collar

  • Meaning: to become upset.
  • Use In A Sentence: I know you are hot under the collar about what happened at work, but please try to calm down. Let’s go for a walk and talk about it.

11. To Blow A Gasket

  • Meaning: to lose one’s temper.
  • Use In A Sentence: Hurry up, we need to get this done. If the boss comes back and we aren’t yet finished, he is going to blow a gasket.

You may also enjoy reading: 26 Cool Idioms In Songs

12. Don’t Get Mad, Get Even

  • Meaning: to use your anger to seek revenge on someone that hurt you.
  • Use In A Sentence: Don’t get mad, get even! Think about what we can do to get him back.

13. To Have A Conniption

  • Meaning: to get very angry.
  • Use In A Sentence: Dad is going to have a conniption when he finds out that Barry damaged his truck.

14. To Have A Cow

  • Meaning: to get upset over something.
  • Use In A Sentence: Don’t have a cow! I will pay for the damages. Just tell me how much I owe you.

15. To Have A Bone To Pick With Someone

  • Meaning: when a person does something that annoys you or upsets you and you want to talk to them about it. It usually means there is going to be a disagreement.
  • Use In A Sentence: I have a bone to pick with you! You told me that you were going to meet me at the library, but you never did!

16. To Jump Down One’s Throat

  • Meaning: to get angry with someone because of something they said or did. It usually results in a lot of yelling.
  • Use In A Sentence: Don’t jump down my throat! I am just telling you what he told me.

17. To Piss Off

  • Meaning: (slang) to greatly irritate someone.
  • Use In A Sentence: John was pissed off when he learned that he had to work tomorrow even though he had requested the day off.

18. To Go Off The Deep End

  • Meaning: someone that becomes very upset.
  • Use In A Sentence: Mark went off the deep end when he found out I totaled his car. I don’t blame him though, if the situation was reversed, I’d be quite upset too.

19. To Flip One’s Wig

  • Meaning: to suddenly become filled with anger.
  • Use In A Sentence: Stanley always flips his wig when we start talking about how much better things used to be.

20. To Be Hopping Mad About Something

  • Meaning: to get upset about something.
  • Use In A Sentence: Dad was hopping mad when he saw my brother’s report card.

21. Bent Out Of Shape

  • Meaning: to be angry.
  • Use In A Sentence: Don’t get all bent out of shape, I am sure she didn’t mean anything by what she said. She is just ahving a bad day and is taking it out on you.

22. To Tick Off

  • Meaning: to make someone angry.
  • Use In A Sentence: It ticks me off that he never returned my call.

23. To Do A Slow Burn

  • Meaning: to slowly become angry over a long period of time.
  • Use In A Sentence: It makes him do a slow burn when he has to wait in line for hours.

24. To Step On One’s Toes

  • Meaning: to annoy, irritate, insult or upset someone.
  • Use In A Sentence: Are you sure I won’t be stepping on Erika’s toes if I host the family dinner this time?

25. To Be As Mad As A Wet Hen

  • Meaning: enraged.
  • Use In A Sentence: He was as mad as a wet hen when he saw the damage done to his car.

26. To Hit The Roof/Ceiling

  • Meaning: to become angry.
  • Use In A Sentence: My parents hit the roof when they learned my brother crashed the family car.

27. To Skin One Alive

  • Meaning: To punish someone with anger.
  • Use In A Sentence: My parents will skin me alive if they find out we had a party in the house when they were gone. Please, whatever you do, do not tell them!

28. To Go Ballistic

  • Meaning: to lose one’s temper.
  • Use In A Sentence: My dad went ballistic when he found out we had a party in the house.

29. Mad/Angry Enough To Chew Nails

  • Meaning: to become so upset that one is at the point of being irrational.
  • Use In A Sentence: My boss was mad enough to chew nails when he learned we lost one of the company’s biggest clients.

30. To Go Postal

  • Meaning: (slang) Uncontralablely upset; enraged.
  • Use In A Sentence: I don’t want to talk to him. I am afraid he is going to go postal on me. He is already a bit unstable. This will just push him over the edge.

31. To Scream Bloody Murder

  • Meaning: to scream in an angry manner.
  • Use In A Sentence: She was so mad at him the whole neighborhood could hear her screaming bloody murder.

32. To Drive Someone Bananas

  • Meaning: to irritate them to the point they no longer can take it.
  • Use In A Sentence: It drives me bananas that he always is late for the meeting.

33. To Blow Off Some Steam

  • Meaning: to do some activity to calm oneself down after being angry about something.
  • Use In A Sentence: I was so mad about work that I went to the gym to blow off some steam.

34. To Vent One’s Spleen

  • Meaning: to express your anger about something, usually by talking about it.
  • Use In A Sentence: I just sat there and listened to them vent their spleen for about an hour.

35. To Burn With A Low Blue Flame

  • Meaning: to be extremely angry about something and yet not express it.
  • Use In A Sentence: She was sitting there with the letter still in her hand, burning with a low blue flame.

36. To Be Out For Blood

  • Meaning: used to describe someone who is angry about something and is seeking revenge.
  • Use In A Sentence: Watch your back. Tommy is out for blood!

37. To Be Up In Arms About Something

  • Meaning: to be angry about something.
  • Use In A Sentence: Mom was up in arms about what we did to the kitchen.

38. To See Red

  • Meaning: to be upset.
  • Use In A Sentence: Mom was seeing red when she saw the high electric bill.

39. To Make One’s Blood Boil

  • Meaning: to make one upset.
  • Use In A Sentence: He really knows how to make my blood boil.

There you have it! 39 Angry Idioms! Did we miss one? Be sure to tell us in the comments below.

Filed Under: Idioms

English Teacher Bio

Hello, my name is Wes. I have been teaching English for over 8 years now. Over those years, I have helped hundreds of students speak English better. I hope this blog, helps you too! Read More…

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • 35 Chicken Idioms & Phrases (Meaning & Examples)
  • 490+ Adjectives That Describe A Woman
  • 29 Age Idioms (Definition & Examples)
  • 35 Mouth Idioms And Phrases (Meaning & Examples)
  • Adjectives Used As Nouns – Explanation & Examples

Recent Comments

    Footer

    More About English By Day

    • Privacy Policy
    • Useful English Idioms
    • Idiom Of The Day
    • Useful Adjectives

    Copyright © 2023 · Wellness Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in