Infuriating: meaning, definitions and examples

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infuriating

 

[ ɪnˈfjʊərɪˌeɪtɪŋ ]

Adjective / Verb
Context #1 | Adjective

describe a feeling or situation

Causing anger or outrage; extremely annoying or frustrating.

Synonyms

exasperating, irritating, maddening, vexing.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
infuriating

Use when something makes someone extremely angry, often to the point of rage. It usually describes situations or actions that are deeply offensive or frustrating.

  • The way he dismissed my ideas without even listening was infuriating.
  • The long delays at the airport are simply infuriating.
exasperating

Use when something is intensely frustrating and makes one feel overwhelmed or exhausted. Typically used for situations involving persistent issues or repetitive actions.

  • His constant lateness is exasperating.
  • The endless paperwork is exasperating and drains my energy.
maddening

Use in situations where something drives one to a state of extreme frustration or madness. It can have a very strong negative connotation.

  • The lack of any progress on the project is maddening.
  • Her unpredictable moods are maddening.
irritating

Use in everyday situations where something causes mild to moderate annoyance. It's less intense than 'infuriating' or 'exasperating'.

  • His habit of tapping the table is really irritating.
  • The buzzing sound from the light bulb is quite irritating.
vexing

Use for situations that are troublesome or hard to deal with, causing mild irritation or worry. It often conveys an old-fashioned or formal tone.

  • The problem of how to allocate the resources is quite vexing.
  • The delays in the process are vexing and need to be resolved.

Examples of usage

  • That infuriating feeling when you're stuck in traffic.
  • His infuriating habit of always being late.
  • The infuriating incompetence of the customer service representative.
  • She gave me an infuriating smile as she walked away.
Context #2 | Verb

expressing strong feelings of anger

Make (someone) extremely angry and impatient.

Synonyms

anger, enrage, infuriate, irritate.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
infuriating

Typically used when something causes extreme frustration or anger. Often relates to situations or actions that are persistently annoying.

  • His lack of punctuality is infuriating.
  • The infuriating traffic made me late for work.
enrage

Used when something causes someone to be very angry, to the point of rage. It is stronger than just being angry and implies an intense emotional reaction.

  • The unfair decision enraged the crowd.
  • Her rudeness will only enrage him further.
infuriate

Similar to 'enrage', it means to make someone extremely angry. Usually used when describing actions that significantly provoke someone's anger.

  • His constant interruptions infuriate me.
  • The delays with the project infuriated the team.
anger

Used to describe a strong feeling of displeasure or hostility. It can be applied to a variety of situations and is more general compared to other words in the list.

  • Her unjust accusations filled him with anger.
  • He couldn't hide his anger after hearing the news.
irritate

Different from the others, it refers to causing slight anger or annoyance. It is less intense and more about minor disturbances.

  • Her habit of tapping her pen irritates me.
  • The noise from the construction site is irritating.

Examples of usage

  • The constant delays infuriated the passengers.
  • He was infuriated by their lack of respect.
  • She was infuriated to find out she had been lied to.

Translations

Translations of the word "infuriating" in other languages:

🇵🇹 irritante

🇮🇳 क्रोधित करने वाला

🇩🇪 ärgerlich

🇮🇩 menjengkelkan

🇺🇦 роздратовуючий

🇵🇱 irytujący

🇯🇵 苛立たしい

🇫🇷 irritant

🇪🇸 irritante

🇹🇷 sinir bozucu

🇰🇷 짜증나는

🇸🇦 مثير للغضب

🇨🇿 rozčilující

🇸🇰 rozčuľujúci

🇨🇳 令人恼火的

🇸🇮 dražeč

🇮🇸 pirrandi

🇰🇿 ашуландыратын

🇬🇪 გამაღიზიანებელი

🇦🇿 əsəbləşdirici

🇲🇽 irritante

Etymology

The word 'infuriating' is derived from the verb 'infuriate', which comes from the Latin word 'infuriatus', meaning 'enraged'. The prefix 'in-' intensifies the meaning, making it 'very enraged'. The use of 'infuriating' to describe situations or people that cause extreme anger or frustration dates back to the 19th century.

See also: infuriated, infuriatingly.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #28,658, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.