Furious

Furious is an English adjective that primarily denotes an intense state of anger. It can also describe extreme energy, force, or activity, such as a furious wind or a furious pace. In usage, furious often emphasizes extremity and can apply to emotional states, actions, or phenomena without implying moral judgment.

Etymology and usage history indicate that furious stems from the Latin furiosus, meaning full of fury, and ultimately from furor, rage. The form entered English via Old French and Middle English, with the modern adjective established by the early modern period. The related adverb is furiously, and the noun forms are fury or furor.

In practice, furious appears in both literal and figurative contexts. It can describe personal anger, as in being furious with someone, or convey intensity more broadly, as in a furious debate or a furious pace. Its figurative use often signals rapid or unrestrained action rather than a specific emotional state, as in “the team made a furious comeback.” The intensity conveyed by furious can be magnified by context or modified with adverbs and intensifiers.

Related terms include fury (a noun representing extreme anger), furor (a Latin-derived noun used in some English contexts), and synonyms such as enraged, irate, or wrathful. Its antonyms include calm, placid, and serene. As with many intensifiers, the appropriateness of furious depends on tone, audience, and the particular nuance a speaker wishes to convey.