Skip to main content
to raise hell

to raise hell

15 7.9
Behave loudly and angrily to cause trouble
  • idiom
  • /reɪz hɛl/
  • NSFW
translation icon : armar un escándalo
  • Earl called the photographer and raised hell.
  • going to raise hell
  • start raising hell
  • known for raising hell

Every now and then you flare up and raise hell, but you also don't have to be constantly affected by the daily stuff.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • He's in town raising hell.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • " She would storm in and raise hell with those people.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • All you wanna do is raise hell.

  • I'm really gonna raise hell!

  • For one thing, no one gets pissed if you say something stupid or raise hell.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Just by coming home like this, you ask me to take your side when he raises hell.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • We started raising hell with all the likely suspects, and what do you know?

  • She came home early one day and raised hell.

  • The moment they shut you down, she went down there raising hell with the councilman.

  • After the new policy was announced, the students started to raise hell at the school meeting.

Synonyms

to make a fuss
vsto raise hell
22 3.0

Complain loudly about something small

is like this but often includes deliberate troublemaking or protest motives
to scream bloody murder
vsto raise hell
  • NSFW
9 8.2

Shout very loudly to show pain, anger or strong protest

is loud and disruptive but often aimed at causing trouble or protest
to raise one's voice
vsto raise hell
5 3.4

Speak more loudly, often because you are angry or want to be heard

involves louder speech within a broader pattern of disruptive, angry behaviour
to stir trouble
vsto raise hell
  • Informal
5 5.3

To cause fights or problems between people on purpose

can be similar but also covers loud angry actions aimed at protest
to make a stink
vsto raise hell
  • Informal
4 6.8

Complain loudly in public to get attention

is similar but can include noisy disruptive actions beyond complaining
to raise a stink
vsto raise hell
2 7.4

To complain loudly and make people notice the problem

is broader, covering general angry disruption or troublemaking as well
to kick up a fuss
vsto raise hell
  • Informal
2 6.4

Complain loudly about something small

tends to be louder and more disruptive with intent to cause trouble
to raise Cain
vsto raise hell
  • Informal
1 8.6

To make a noisy public protest

is similar but stresses angry behaviour that may also provoke trouble
to raise the roof
vsto raise hell
  • Informal
1 8.0

Get very angry and shout loudly

is broader, including loud disruption aimed at causing trouble or protest
to fulminate
vsto raise hell
  • Formal
1 9.0

To speak or write very angrily against something to show strong criticism

is more about loud disruptive behaviour rather than only verbal criticism
to stir shit
vsto raise hell
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To say or do things to make others angry and start fights

is broader, including noisy disruptive acts beyond provocative words
to stir up drama
vsto raise hell
  • Informal
7.0

To cause trouble between people to get attention

focuses more on loud disruptive anger aimed at causing trouble or protest

Antonyms

332 3.8

Do what a rule or person asks

How Disruptive

to riot
26 4.9
to raise hell
  • NSFW
15 7.9
to make a scene
  • Informal
45 4.9

Surface Forms

raise hell infinitive
raised hell past participle
raising hell present participle
raises hell third person singular

Morphology

raise + hell

The verb 'raise' (to cause or bring about) plus 'hell' (used metaphorically for extreme trouble or chaos) yields a largely inferable meaning of 'cause a disturbance'—so the basic idea is partly derivable from the constituents. However, 'hell' here is used idiomatically as a metaphor for noisy disorder and the pragmatic force (how intense or what kind of trouble) is not fully predictable to a B1 learner without exposure, so it should be classed as semi-transparent.

Etymology

The phrase raise hell comes from the image of raise meaning to lift up and hell meaning a place of loud chaos. Imagine people lifting up a storm of noise and trouble as if calling up hell, so raise hell means 'to behave loudly and cause trouble'.