fuming
FYOO-ming
/ˈfjuː.mɪŋ/
Emitting smoke or vapor; feeling or showing silent, intense anger.
Visualizes anger as invisible steam or smoke rising off a person who is visibly agitated but holding back an explosion.
The story behind the word. Directly descended from Latin 'fumus' (smoke), 'fuming' was applied metaphorically to angry human beings whose hot tempers made them resemble smoldering fires issuing toxic smoke.
Word relationships
- seething: Seething uses the imagery of boiling liquid, whereas fuming uses the imagery of escaping smoke and fumes.
- tranquil: Tranquil describes a state free from agitation or disturbance.
Commonly confused with
- foaming: Foaming implies froth (often mouth froth in extreme rage); fuming implies smoke or emotional steam.
Word family
- fume (verb): To emit smoke; to express anger.
Collocations
- quietly fuming
- absolutely fuming
- fuming with rage
Idioms & expressions
- steamed up
- blow off steam
Example sentences
- "After missing her flight due to security delays, Sarah sat fuming in the terminal." Commuter frustration
- "He left the meeting room fuming over his colleague's taking credit for his project." Personal conflict
Memory hook
FUMING people emit emotional FUMES like a chimneys. Smoking hot with anger.
When not to use
Avoid for gentle or indifferent states.
Fun facts
- The root 'fumus' also gives us 'perfume' (literally 'through smoke') and 'fumigate'.
Related words
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