Infuriating

ɪnˈfjʊəriˌeɪtɪŋ

adjectiveBeginner📊CommonGeneral
1 meaning2 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

1

Causing extreme anger or impatience; annoying.

ɪnˈfjʊəriˌeɪtɪŋ

adjectivenegativeBeginner
General

Causing great anger or annoyance.

His constant lateness was infuriating.

💡 Simply: Imagine your little brother keeps poking you. Infuriating is like that – it makes you super annoyed!

👶 For kids: Making you very, very mad.

More Examples

2

The traffic jam was infuriating, causing us to miss our flight.

3

The game's glitches were infuriating to the players.

How It's Used

General

"The constantly ringing phone was infuriating."

Psychology

"The therapist noted the patient's infuriating behaviors, stemming from unresolved trauma."

Everyday Life

"The long wait at the DMV was infuriating."

Synonyms & Antonyms

Idioms & expressions

to add insult to injury

To make a bad situation even worse.

"Not only did I fail the test, but the teacher also publicly announced my score, adding insult to injury."

rub salt in the wound

To make a bad situation even worse by doing something that causes more pain or makes someone feel more upset.

"Telling her about the promotion was like rubbing salt in the wound after she was fired."

From Middle English *infuriaten*, from Latin *infuriatus*, past participle of *infuriare* ("to enrage"), from *in-* ("in") + *furor* ("rage").

The word 'infuriating' has been used since the late 17th century, initially in more formal contexts, but has expanded to cover broader situations of annoyance.

Memory tip

Imagine you are in a fury. The word 'infuriating' describes something that makes you feel that way.

Word Origin

LanguageLatin
Original meaning

"rage, fury"

infuriating habitinfuriating behaviorinfuriating situationinfuriatingly slow

Common misspellings

infuriatingginfuriatinglyinfuriateing

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written