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Glite Dictionary
to spark outrage

to spark outrage

4 5.8
Make many people very angry
  • phrasal verb
  • /spɑrk aʊtˌreɪdʒ/
translation icon : provocar indignación
  • The decision sparked outrage among human rights supporters.
  • sparked outrage for the video
  • sparked outrage and protests
  • the disgusting video sparked outrage

Examples

  • The amendment initially sparked outrage when it became known that the exemption would cover victims of "forcible rape" and incest.

    Blog text (19)

  • NBC's Mike Taibbi has more on three men suspected of producing an anti-Islam film that is sparking outrage around the globe.

    Blog text (26)

  • Alex Day writes an article knowing it will spark outrage within the Doctor Who community.

    Blog text (20)

  • USA TODAY says a small group of men sparked outrage in Boston by announcing plans to hold a straight Pride parade in August.

  • Photos of their home's precarious situation were posted on the Internet, sparking outrage among Chinese across the country.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Douglas sent out her livid tweet during the president's acceptance speech at the DNC on Thursday, immediately sparking outrage throughout the social media site.

    Blog text (8)

  • As local reports of the details of the event emerged, the facts have turned to show that Joe may have gotten caught up in a little white lie to his friends that ballooned into a full-fledged lie on a police report and sparked outrage in Missoula and beyond.

    Blog text (15)

  • Currently challenging incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill for her U.S. Senate seat, Akin sparked outrage this past August when he stated that women who are victims of what he called "legitimate rape" rarely get pregnant.

    Blog text (6)

  • The video of the incident sparked outrage among the viewers, prompting a national debate about safety regulations.

  • Her controversial comments sparked outrage on social media, leading to widespread discussion and protests.

Synonyms

to outrage
vsto spark outrage
143 3.9

Make people feel very angry and shocked

specifically concerns broad public anger rather than an individual reaction
to stir up
vsto spark outrage
48 4.8

To make people feel strong emotions like anger or fear

may cause public anger without implying deliberate provocation
to scandalize
vsto spark outrage
12 7.0

To shock or offend people by behaving in a way many think is wrong

is about causing public anger rather than primarily moral shock
to spark a firestorm
vsto spark outrage
1 7.0

To cause many people to show strong public anger or criticism

can cause wide public anger without necessarily being a sudden eruption
to inflame public opinion
vsto spark outrage
  • Literature
1 7.7

To make many people feel angry or shocked about something

is focused on causing wide public anger without implying suddenness
to enflame
vsto spark outrage
6.4

To make feelings like anger or excitement stronger

focuses on causing public anger rather than merely intensifying feelings

Antonyms

to appease
48 5.8

To calm someone by giving in to their demands

How Angry

to spark outrage
4 5.8
to provoke
115 3.7
to offend
524 2.8
to annoy
246 1.0

Surface Forms

spark outrage infinitive
sparked outrage past
sparked outrage past participle
sparking outrage present participle
sparks outrage third person singular

Morphology

spark + outrage

The meaning 'to cause widespread or intense public anger' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'spark' (to trigger or provoke) with 'outrage' (moral anger); a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the overall sense. This verb + emotion-noun composition is a common, compositional pattern across languages, so the expression is immediately comprehensible rather than idiomatic.

Etymology

Spark outrage uses the image of a small spark starting a big fire; a tiny flame can quickly spread and cause a large blaze. This picture shows how a small action can start a wave of outrage, so the phrase means 'to cause a lot of public anger'.