rant

To speak angrily for a long time, often loudly and without control.

• He started to rant and shout.
• She ranted at us until her face turned red.
• Why are you ranting about a tiny mistake?

How to use it: rant at someone (He ranted at the staff for several minutes.); rant about something (She ranted about the delay all the way home.)

Similar words: rage, rave

Common phrases: rant and rave, rant at someone

To express your opinions at length and forcefully, giving little attention to other views.

• He loves to rant about politics.
• She ranted online about her boss again.
• I stopped listening when he began ranting about young people.

How to use it: rant about something (He ranted about office rules throughout lunch.); rant on about something (She ranted on about the state of modern music.)

Similar words: hold forth, go on

Common phrases: rant about something, rant on

To criticize someone or something in a long, angry speech.

• She ranted against the new rules.
• He ranted about the company’s poor service.
• The speaker ranted against everyone who had opposed him.

How to use it: rant against someone/something (He ranted against the council’s decision.)

Similar words: rail, inveigh

Opposites: praise

Common phrases: rant against something, rant about someone

To perform traditional dance steps, often wearing wooden shoes.

• The dancers began to rant.
• They ranted in clogs across the wooden floor.
• She learned to rant to traditional music.

Common phrases: rant in clogs, rant to music

A long, angry speech criticizing someone or something.

• His rant criticized the whole company.
• She delivered a furious rant about the service.
• Another rant against the government appeared on his blog.

How to use it: rant about someone/something (She launched into a rant about her landlord.); rant against someone/something (His rant against the policy lasted ten minutes.)

Similar words: tirade, diatribe

Common phrases: rant about something, rant against something, angry rant

A long, uncontrolled speech full of strong feelings that may be difficult to follow.

• His speech became an emotional rant.
• Nobody could follow her wild rant.
• The recording captured a long, rambling rant about everything that had happened.

Similar words: outburst, tirade

Common phrases: emotional rant, incoherent rant, long rant

A traditional dance step, often performed in wooden shoes in northern England.

• The dancer demonstrated a rant.
• They practiced the rant in wooden clogs.
• This dance includes several lively rants.

Common phrases: morris rant, traditional rant, rant step