As a noun, anger is a strong feeling of displeasure or hostility. As a verb, it means to make someone feel angry.
From Old Norse 'angr' meaning 'sorrow' or 'grief', related to words for 'tightness' or 'pain'. Over time, the sense in English shifted from inner distress toward outward rage.
Many languages link anger to tightness or pressure, like something building up inside. That’s why 'venting'—releasing that pressure—feels so physically real, even though it’s an emotion.
Expressions of anger have been gendered, with men’s anger often framed as powerful or justified and women’s anger labeled irrational, hysterical, or inappropriate. This bias has influenced workplace evaluations, legal judgments, and mental-health diagnoses.
Discuss anger as a human emotion without stereotyping by gender; validate that people of any gender can feel and express justified anger.
["frustration","rage","irritation"]
Women’s anger has driven many social-justice movements, though historical narratives often sanitize their emotions or attribute leadership to men.
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