mad as a wet hen

1 9.8

Very angry or upset

idiom

Informal

: furioso como una gallina mojada

Listen, I came by to warn you that Marcie is mad as a wet hen about the canceled meeting.

Examples

"Why are you all so slow?" This made Brother mad as a wet hen.

Fiction book (1990)
He's mad as a wet hen right about now, so you ain't gonna be by yourself on that one.

Fiction book (1999)
Marge is mad as a wet hen because her package was lost in the mail.
After hearing the news, Gabrielle became mad as a wet hen, voicing her frustration loudly.

Synonyms

mad

vsmad as a wet hen

∞ 1.0

Feeling angry or upset with someone

is extreme anger or upset while this can be less extreme

furious

vsmad as a wet hen

238 3.0

Very angry and ready to shout or complain

is extreme anger or upset that can be less explosively emotional

pissed off

vsmad as a wet hen

Informal

197 8.6

Very angry or annoyed

is extreme anger or upset but is more neutral or formal

outraged

vsmad as a wet hen

27 4.1

Feeling very angry and shocked because something seems unfair

is extreme anger or upset yet does not require shock or injustice

irate

vsmad as a wet hen

23 5.3

Very angry and showing it

is extreme anger or upset yet may include quieter unhappy feelings

livid

vsmad as a wet hen

19 5.5

Very angry and hard to calm

is extreme anger or upset that can be calmer in appearance

bent out of shape

vsmad as a wet hen

Informal

19 8.4

Very upset about a small or unimportant thing

is extreme anger or upset and does not focus only on minor matters

upset

vsmad as a wet hen

9 2.5

Being in a state of disorder or confusion

is extreme anger focused on strong angry feelings rather than general disturbance

to have a cow

vsmad as a wet hen

Slang

8 9.3

Get very upset or angry about something small

is extreme anger or upset and is not limited to trivial causes

to froth at the mouth

vsmad as a wet hen

Informal

5 8.6

To be extremely angry and unable to control oneself

is extreme anger or upset yet not necessarily uncontrollable

hot under the collar

vsmad as a wet hen

Informal

5 7.1

Very angry or annoyed because someone criticizes you

is extreme anger or upset but not limited to criticism causes

ticked off

vsmad as a wet hen

Informal

5 7.9

Feeling angry or annoyed about something

is extreme anger or upset, not just mild or casual annoyance

rageful

vsmad as a wet hen

1 4.8

Feeling very angry and likely to shout or lose control

is extreme anger or upset but may be less about constant burning feeling

infuriated

vsmad as a wet hen

1 4.5

Feeling very angry because someone treated you unfairly

is extreme anger or upset but can include distress rather than pure outrage

pissed

vsmad as a wet hen

Informal

1 8.4

Feeling very angry or annoyed

is extreme anger or upset while this is informal and casual

boiling mad

vsmad as a wet hen

Informal

1 4.8

Feeling very angry

is extreme anger or upset without implying fast, rising heat

mad as a meat axe

vsmad as a wet hen

Archaic

1 9.9

Very angry and acting without thinking

is extreme anger or upset without implying violent aggression

as a wet hen

vsmad as a wet hen

Archaic

1 9.9

Very unhappy and angry about something

is extreme anger or upset but focuses more on anger than dejection

mad as hops

vsmad as a wet hen

Archaic

9.9

Feeling very angry and showing it

means the same extreme anger but is the chosen standard idiom here

enraged

vsmad as a wet hen

4.1

Very angry and likely to act violently

is extreme anger or upset that can be broader than violent reaction

maddened

vsmad as a wet hen

5.2

Very angry and acting out of control

is extreme anger or upset without needing frenzied behaviour

rip-snorting mad

vsmad as a wet hen

Informal

9.5

Being very angry and hard to calm

is extreme anger or upset but without the extra violent emphasis

mad as a cut snake

vsmad as a wet hen

Australian

9.9

Feeling extremely angry and acting wildly

is extreme anger or upset but need not cause wild behaviour

mad enough to chew nails

vsmad as a wet hen

Archaic

9.9

Very angry and ready to do something extreme

is extreme anger or upset but not necessarily implying extreme deeds

mad as a mongoose

vsmad as a wet hen

Informal

9.9

Very angry and unable to stay calm

is extreme anger or upset without always showing restless physical agitation

wild as a wet hen

vsmad as a wet hen

Informal

9.4

Feeling very angry and upset

is extreme anger or upset but can be calmer or less visibly agitated

angry as a wet hen

vsmad as a wet hen

9.9

Feeling very angry and upset

is the same strong upset but here used as the central idiom

angered

vsmad as a wet hen

2.5

Feeling very furious because someone did something unfair or rude

is extreme strong upset while this term often names less intense feeling

nettled

vsmad as a wet hen

7.4

Feeling annoyed or slightly angry at something

is extreme anger or upset rather than mild annoyance or irritation

Antonyms

calm

735 1.0

Not showing strong feelings and being very still

How Angry

mad as a wet hen

Informal

1 9.8

furious

238 3.0

angry

∞ 1.0

annoyed

77 1.0

irritated

44 3.1

Surface Forms

mad as a wet hen positive

Morphology

mad + as + a + wet + hen

The structure uses the transparent comparative pattern 'mad as a ...', so a learner who knows 'mad' and the simile form can infer it intensifies anger; however, the specific image 'wet hen' does not literally or universally signal anger and is culturally motivated. Because the adjective is predictable but the choice of 'wet hen' is idiomatic and not directly derivable from the constituents, this is best classified as semi-transparent.

Etymology

Mad as a wet hen comes from farm life: one popular story says that when a hen got wet it would shake, flap and squawk loudly and look very mad. So the phrase means 'extremely angry or upset'.