wrothful
Definition
Adjective: 1. Full of wrath; intensely angry: Describes a state of extreme, often righteous, anger and indignation. * The wrothful king ordered the traitor's immediate arrest. * Her wrothful response silenced the entire room.
Usage
"Wrothful" is a literary and somewhat archaic synonym for "wrathful." It is used to describe a person, their demeanor, or their actions when they are filled with intense, deep-seated anger, often of a noble or justified character. It is more formal and dramatic than simply saying "angry."
Examples
- The prophet delivered a wrothful warning to the sinful city.
- He was wrothful at the betrayal of his closest allies.
- A wrothful silence fell over the council as they heard the news.
Advanced Usage
- The word often implies that the anger is justified by a grave offense or injustice.
- It can be used to describe deities or powerful figures in myth, literature, or historical narrative to emphasize their formidable anger.
- In the epic, the gods grew wrothful at the hubris of mortals.
Variants and Related Words
- Wroth (adj.): An older form meaning angry, often used in the phrase "wax wroth" (to become angry). It is the root of "wrothful."
- He waxed wroth at the suggestion.
- Wrath (n.): The noun form meaning intense anger.
- He feared the wrath of his father.
- Wrathful (adj.): The more common modern synonym for "wrothful."
- a wrathful deity
Synonyms
- Furious
- Irate
- Incensed
- Infuriated
- Irefull (archaic)
Antonyms
- Calm
- Pleased
- Pacific
- Content
Related Idioms
- To be wroth with someone: To be angry with someone (archaic/formal).
- The master was wroth with his servant.
Adjective
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vehemently incensed and condemnatory
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they trembled before the wrathful queen
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but wroth as he was, a short struggle ended in reconciliation
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