fulminate

Imagine a volcano erupting—that gives you the feel of what it means to fulminate. Most often, it describes someone bursting into angry speech, strongly attacking or protesting something. A politician might fulminate against corruption, or your neighbor might start fulminating about the noise from your party. The word originally had to do with lightning and sudden blasts, and it can still be used in technical contexts for violent explosion or detonation. Today, though, it is far more often used for loud, forceful verbal anger than for actual physical blasts.

To fulminate means both to explode violently and to express passionate, vehement protest, often in a torrent of angry words. It carries a sense of intense energy and often implies an over-the-top reaction. Think of it as more than simple anger; it is indignation delivered at full volume.

Originally, fulminate came from the Latin word for "lightning," which helps explain its sense of sudden force and violent release. It later developed a technical use in chemistry for exploding or detonating, and related forms appear in the names of highly explosive compounds such as mercury fulminate. That literal sense still exists, but it is much less common in everyday conversation.

More frequently, you will encounter fulminate as a verb for loudly denouncing something a person strongly disagrees with. A critic might fulminate against a poorly made film, or a senator might fulminate about the failings of a new law. It suggests a passionate and often theatrical display of anger. You can also use it for a stream of heated complaints: "The town meeting was filled with citizens fulminating about rising taxes." Even when nothing literally explodes, the image behind the word is still that of a sudden verbal blast. Whether it refers to a chemical reaction or a fiery speech, fulminate suggests something bursting out with intense force.