irate
What does "irate" mean?
Irate describes a state of intense, explosive anger. The mental image is someone whose face is flushed, voice is raised, and patience has completely evaporated. Unlike being "annoyed" or "frustrated," being irate suggests a boiling point has been reached, often accompanied by an outward expression of fury. In professional or formal contexts, it is the go-to term for describing a customer or colleague who is extremely upset. It is stronger than "angry" and often implies that the person feels their grievances are justified. You will frequently see it paired with nouns like "customer," "letter," or "response."
"irate" in conversation
Customer service desk
The client is absolutely irate about the shipping delay.
The client is absolutely irate about the shipping delay.
I’ll handle it, I have the refund forms ready.
I’ll handle it, I have the refund forms ready.
Used to describe a high-stakes professional conflict.
Home argument
I’ve never seen Dad this irate before.
I’ve never seen Dad this irate before.
He’s just fed up with the noise from the neighbors.
He’s just fed up with the noise from the neighbors.
Highlights the intensity of the emotion.
"irate" in a sentence
The irate man shouted at the driver.
The irate man shouted at the driver.
An irate customer demanded to speak with the store manager immediately.
An irate customer demanded to speak with the store manager immediately.
The board members were irate upon discovering the systemic financial discrepancies in the quarterly report.
The board members were irate upon discovering the systemic financial discrepancies in the quarterly report.
