ireful
Americanadjective
-
full of intense anger; wrathful.
-
easily roused to anger; irascible.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of ireful
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at ire, -ful
Explanation
Use the adjective ireful to describe someone who's furious. You'll probably be ireful when you realize that your little brother used your favorite dress shirt as an apron when he baked brownies. The word ireful is an uncommon, old-fashioned way to say "really angry." You may tend to be an ireful driver, yelling and gesturing at other cars, or you might write an ireful letter to the editor of a newspaper after reading a badly reported, inaccurate story. When you're ireful, you're full of ire, which comes from Latin and means "wrath, anger, rage, or passion."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It makes me ireful to think o’ them.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
He sprang up again and turned his ireful face to where, in the crowd, sat the old politician.
From Counsel for the Defense by Chapman, Charles M.
“Why aren’t you on your way?” she demanded, with ireful impatience.
From Joan of Arc of the North Woods by Day, Holman
"What are you here for?" said Miss Fortune, with an ireful face.
From The Wide, Wide World by Warner, Susan
Mrs. Salsify looked lofty, and tossed her carroty head; but her husband had waxed bold in his distress, and could not be intimidated by ireful brows, or pursed-up lips.
From Eventide A Series of Tales and Poems by Afton, Effie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
