a surge of anger

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a surge of anger" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing a sudden strong emotion, such as: "She felt a surge of anger when her child disobeyed her instructions".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

I felt a surge of anger.

The New Yorker

This time, I felt a surge of anger he was still doing this.

The Guardian

The release prompted a surge of anger among relatives of the 189 Americans who died in the crash.

The New York Times

As I type this column, a surge of anger is rising, ready to pour into a diatribe of how my teenage foray into makeup buying was overshadowed by never finding the correct colour.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

There's a surge of anger about the inequality in film and a push for actions not words, to quote the suffragettes – this is a wave I and many others want to keep riding until we see meaningful change.

The Guardian - Film

But that will do him no harm whatsoever now.A decade ago, as mayhem in Iraq was causing a surge of anger across the Arab and Muslim world, one of the Vatican's highest diplomatic priorities was to protect the Christians in the Middle East and other Muslim-majority places from an anti-Western backlash that could also become anti-Christian as well.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Their words ambushed me and triggered a surge of laughter, anger and tears.

The New York Times

The assassination of Rafik Hariri, a billionaire and former prime minister, triggered a surge of popular anger and united the country in a sustained moment of shock and disbelief.

The New York Times

Although Kansas is a deeply conservative state, politics there has been upended in recent weeks, with a swathe of top Republican incumbents, up to and including the governor, Sam Brownback, battling against a surge of public anger over deep tax cuts.

The Guardian

In the last two and a half weeks, as television stations, newspapers and mosque preachers have bombarded the Arab public with images of Palestinians dying in clashes with Israelis, a surge of popular anger has mobilized thousands of people to do and act in similar fashion.

The New York Times

There has been a surge of public anger - and the internet has been instrumental in channelling that and bringing protesters onto the streets.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a surge of anger" to describe a sudden and intense onset of anger. It is particularly effective when depicting a character's immediate reaction to a frustrating or enraging situation.

Common error

While "a surge of anger" is acceptable in news and media, avoid using it excessively in formal or academic writing. Consider alternatives like "rising resentment" or "growing animosity" for a more nuanced and professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a surge of anger" functions as a noun phrase, acting as the subject or object of a sentence to describe a sudden and powerful emotional experience. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Wiki

10%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a surge of anger" is a grammatically sound and readily understood phrase employed to depict a swift and potent onset of anger. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage. Predominantly observed in news and media outlets, this expression serves to convey the intensity and abruptness of the emotional response. While generally appropriate, tailoring the choice of words to suit the formality of the writing context enhances precision and professionalism. Alternatives, such as "a wave of anger" or "a fit of rage", offer nuanced ways to convey similar sentiments with variations in intensity and context. Be mindful of overusing this phrase in formal writing where more sophisticated alternatives might be more suitable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

A wave of anger

Substitutes 'surge' with 'wave', suggesting a more gradual but still powerful increase in anger.

A rush of anger

Uses 'rush' instead of 'surge', suggesting a sudden and quick onset of anger.

A fit of rage

Replaces 'surge of anger' with 'fit of rage', implying a sudden and uncontrollable outburst.

An outburst of anger

Similar to 'fit of rage', but may suggest a more verbal or demonstrative expression of anger.

Rising fury

Uses 'fury' instead of 'anger', implying a greater intensity of emotion that is also escalating.

A sudden anger

Shortens the phrase, focusing on the suddenness of the anger.

A feeling of animosity

Replaces 'anger' with 'animosity', indicating a strong feeling of dislike or hostility.

A bout of indignation

Indicates anger caused by something perceived as unfair or unjust.

Growing resentment

Implies a gradual build-up of anger over time.

Simmering frustration

Suggests a suppressed or barely contained anger.

FAQs

What does "a surge of anger" mean?

The phrase "a surge of anger" describes a sudden, intense feeling of anger. It suggests that the emotion arises quickly and powerfully.

How can I use "a surge of anger" in a sentence?

You can use "a surge of anger" to describe a character's reaction to a frustrating event, for example: "She felt "a surge of anger" when she realized her flight was canceled."

What can I say instead of "a surge of anger"?

You can use alternatives like "a wave of anger", "a fit of rage", or "an outburst of anger" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "a surge of angry"?

No, it is not grammatically correct. The correct phrase is "a surge of anger", where "anger" is a noun. "Angry" is an adjective, and while you could say someone is "angry", the noun form is needed after "of".