Furious

Return to > Dictionary

1. Definition + Rich Everyday Explanation

Furious (adjective) = extremely angry, or happening with intense speed and energy.

“Furious” is anger at its peak. When someone is furious, they’re not just annoyed, irritated, or upset — they’re experiencing intense, powerful rage. This is the kind of anger where people raise their voices, slam doors, or struggle to control themselves. It’s several levels above “angry” on the emotional scale.

The word carries a sense of explosive energy. A furious person might be shaking, red-faced, or barely able to speak. Parents become furious when children do something dangerous. Employees become furious when treated unfairly. Partners become furious after discovering betrayal. It’s the anger that demands action — people who are furious rarely stay silent.

What many learners miss is the secondary meaning: furious also describes intense speed, energy, or activity. A furious pace means extremely fast. A furious battle means fierce and intense. Typing at a furious speed means working incredibly quickly. This meaning connects to the first — both involve uncontrolled intensity.

Socially, telling someone you’re furious signals that a serious line has been crossed. It’s not a word people use lightly. If your boss says they’re “furious,” you know you’re in real trouble. If a friend says they’re “furious with you,” the relationship is genuinely strained.

Examples from the street:

• “She was absolutely furious when she found out he’d lied to her” → she experienced intense rage upon discovering the deception
• “My dad will be furious if I crash his car” → he’ll be extremely angry, probably explosive
• “They were working at a furious pace to meet the deadline” → they were working intensely fast under pressure

2. Most Common Patterns

• furious with + person → extremely angry at someone
• furious about/at + situation/thing → extremely angry regarding something that happened
• furious that + clause → extremely angry because of a specific fact
• absolutely/utterly furious → intensified; emphasises extreme anger
• at a furious pace/speed/rate → happening extremely fast and intensely
• make someone furious → cause someone to become extremely angry

3. Idioms

Note: There are no common idioms directly containing “furious” — these are related expressions:

• see red → become extremely angry, lose control due to rage

  Example: “I saw red when he insulted my family — I’ve never been so furious.”

• hit the roof / go through the roof → suddenly become furious, explode with anger

  Example: “Mum hit the roof when she saw my exam results.”

4. Example Sentences

1. She was absolutely furious with her brother for reading her private diary

   → She felt intense rage toward her sibling for invading her personal space.

2. Customers were furious about the sudden price increases without any warning

   → Buyers experienced extreme anger regarding the unexpected cost rises.

3. He was furious that nobody had told him the meeting was cancelled

   → He felt intense anger because people failed to inform him about the change.

4. The manager was utterly furious when she discovered the accounting errors

   → The supervisor became completely enraged upon finding the financial mistakes.

5. They worked at a furious pace to finish the project before the deadline

   → They operated at extremely high speed to complete the work in time.

6. The comment made him furious — he couldn’t believe anyone would say that

   → The remark caused him to become extremely angry; he found it unbelievable.

7. I’m furious with myself for missing such an obvious mistake

   → I feel intense anger toward myself for overlooking something so clear.

8. There was a furious debate in parliament over the proposed changes

   → An intense, heated argument took place among politicians regarding the new legislation.

9. She sent a furious email to customer service demanding a full refund

   → She wrote an extremely angry message to the company insisting they return her money.

10. My parents would be furious if they knew I’d skipped school

    → My mother and father would become extremely angry upon learning I missed classes.

5. Personal Examples

1. Teachers sometimes feel furious when students cheat, because it undermines trust and hard work

   → Educators occasionally experience intense anger about cheating since it damages the relationship and devalues effort.

2. I was furious with myself when I realised I’d been mispronouncing a common word for years

   → I felt extremely angry at myself upon discovering I’d been saying an everyday word incorrectly for a long time.

6. Register: Neutral

✔ Native usage tips

• “Furious” is strong — natives don’t use it for minor irritations; save it for genuine rage
• “Absolutely furious” and “utterly furious” are very common intensified forms — they sound natural, not exaggerated
• British speakers often use “furious” where Americans might say “livid” or “pissed off” (informal)
• The “fast and intense” meaning appears more in written English — “furious pace,” “furious activity” — it sounds slightly literary in speech

✔ Similar expressions / words

• Angry → more general and moderate; furious is the extreme version
• Livid → equally intense; slightly more British; sometimes implies white-faced rage rather than red-faced
• Outraged → furious specifically about injustice or moral violation; more principled anger