100+ Inspirational Quotes About Anger
Anger, an emotion as old as humanity itself, has found its way into the words and writings of countless thinkers, poets, and philosophers throughout history.
This powerful emotion, whether it ignites a spark for change or engulfs one in its fiery rage, has been the subject of reflection, caution, and enlightenment for ages.
Our curated list brings to you a collection of inspirational anger quotes, timeless sayings that have stood the test of generations, and some of the most thought-provoking quotes and sayings about anger from voices across the globe.
Whether you’re seeking solace, understanding, or a fresh perspective, these words aim to shed light on the intricate dance between anger and wisdom. Dive deep into these treasures and let them guide your understanding of this formidable emotion.
100+ Inspirational Quotes About Anger

Certainly, anger has been a subject of contemplation and expression for many prominent figures throughout history. Here are some popular quotes and sayings about anger and their respective authors:
- “Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” – Buddha
- “For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” – Mark Twain
- “Anybody can become angry – that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way – that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy.” – Aristotle
- “When angry, count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred.” – Thomas Jefferson
- “Anger does not solve problems – anger only makes things worse. I go by the old saying, ‘Don’t make important decisions when you’re angry.'” – Lionel Sosa
- “Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” – Ambrose Bierce
- “Anger is a short madness.” – Horace
- “Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean.” – Maya Angelou
- “In times of great stress or adversity, it’s always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.” – Lee Iacocca
These quotes serve as reflections on the nature of anger, its consequences, and the wisdom of understanding and controlling it. They have been cited and shared widely over the years, offering insights into one of humanity’s most powerful emotions.
- “Anger is the enemy of non-violence and pride is a monster that swallows it up.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.” – Robert Green Ingersoll
- “To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves.” – Alexander Pope
- “Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury that provokes it.” – Seneca
- “Keep cool; anger is not an argument.” – Daniel Webster
- “Anger is often more hurtful than the injury that caused it.” – English Proverb
- “He who angers you conquers you.” – Elizabeth Kenny
- “Anger dwells only in the bosom of fools.” – Albert Einstein
- “You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.” – Buddha
- “Never do anything when you are in a temper, for you will do everything wrong.” – Baltasar Gracián

These quotes underscore the universality of anger as an emotion and its effects on our actions, relationships, and well-being. Many great minds have pondered over it, offering timeless wisdom on understanding and managing it effectively.
Absolutely, the exploration of anger and its many facets has led to a wealth of insights from notable figures throughout history. Here are even more quotes on the topic:
- “The best remedy for a short temper is a long walk.” – Jacqueline Schiff
- “The greatest remedy for anger is delay.” – Thomas Paine
- “Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “I don’t usually lose my temper, but if I get angry, it’s true – I’m scary.” – Eva Mendes
- “Anger is a killing thing: it kills the man who angers, for each rage leaves him less than he had been before – it takes something from him.” – Louis L’Amour
- “Anger is only one letter short of danger.” – Anonymous
- “The world needs anger. The world often continues to allow evil because it isn’t angry enough.” – Bede Jarrett
- “Where there is anger, there is always pain underneath.” – Eckhart Tolle
- “Anger ventilated often hurries towards forgiveness; anger concealed often hardens into revenge.” – Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton
- “Never respond to an angry person with a fiery comeback, even if he deserves it…Don’t allow his anger to become your anger.” – Bohdi Sanders
These additional quotes not only emphasize the importance of understanding and managing anger but also touch upon the deeper emotions that often accompany or fuel it.
Here’s another set of quotes centered around the theme of anger:
- “Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one.” – Benjamin Franklin
- “Anger is a momentary madness, so control your passion or it will control you.” – Horace
- “Anger is the feeling that makes your mouth work faster than your mind.” – Evan Esar
- “Anger is like flowing water; there’s nothing wrong with it as long as you let it flow. Hate is like stagnant water; anger that you denied yourself the freedom to feel, the freedom to flow; water that you gathered in one place and left to forget. Stagnant water becomes dirty, stinky, disease-ridden, poisonous, deadly; that is your hate.” – C. JoyBell C.
- “It is wise to direct your anger towards problems — not people; to focus your energies on answers — not excuses.” – William Arthur Ward
- “Anger is an expensive luxury in which only men of certain income can indulge.” – George William Curtis
- “Anger is just anger. It isn’t good. It isn’t bad. It just is. What you do with it is what matters. It’s like anything else. You can use it to build or to destroy.” – Jim Butcher
- “An angry man opens his mouth and shuts his eyes.” – Cato the Elder
- “When anger rises, think of the consequences.” – Confucius
- “Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.” – Cherie Carter-Scott
These quotes provide a range of perspectives on anger, from the pitfalls of succumbing to it to the potential growth that can arise from understanding and mastering it.
- “Anger is the prelude to courage.” – Eric Hoffer
- “Anger is a signal, and one worth listening to.” – Harriet Lerner
- “Do not teach your children never to be angry; teach them how to be angry.” – Lyman Abbott
- “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” – Proverbs 29:11
- “You can’t shake hands with a clenched fist.” – Indira Gandhi
- “A man is about as big as the things that make him angry.” – Winston Churchill
- “Anger blows out the lamp of the mind. In the examination of a great and important question, everyone should be serene, slow-pulsed, and calm.” – Robert Green Ingersoll
- “Anger is often more hurtful than the one that caused it.” – Chinese Proverb
- “Anger is an emotion. It involves a strong uncomfortable and hostile response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat.” – Unknown
- “Anger is one letter short of danger.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
From ancient proverbs to contemporary thinkers, anger remains a subject that’s extensively dissected, offering valuable insights into human nature and behavior.
- “The opposite of anger is not calmness, its empathy.” – Mehmet Oz
- “Anger is a condition in which the tongue works faster than the mind.” – Unknown
- “The angry man will defeat himself in battle as well as in life.” – Samurai Proverb
- “Anger is a thief who steals away the nice moments.” – Joan Lunden
- “Never forget what a man says to you when he is angry.” – Henry Ward Beecher
- “Anger is the enemy of instruction.” – Xun Kuang
- “An angry man is again angry with himself when he returns to reason.” – Publilius Syrus
- “People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing.” – Will Rogers
- “When one is angry, it is always wise to count to ten before speaking. When one is very angry, a hundred will be better.” – Ulysses S. Grant
- “The more anger towards the past you carry in your heart, the less capable you are of loving in the present.” – Barbara De Angelis
These quotes further emphasize the multifaceted nature of anger, its implications, and the importance of understanding and channeling it in constructive ways.
- “Anger is like a storm rising up from the bottom of your consciousness. When you feel it coming, turn your focus to your breath.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “Anger is a manifestation of a deeper issue… and that, for me, is based on insecurity, self-esteem and loneliness.” – Naomi Campbell
- “When anger uses your energy, it wastes your time.” – Oprah Winfrey
- “When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.” – Unknown
- “Our real enemy is not the person who wrongs us, but our own anger.” – Dalai Lama
- “Anger and intolerance are the twin enemies of correct understanding.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “The best fighter is never angry.” – Lao Tzu
- “He who cannot anger cannot love.” – A. D. Williams
- “In anger, we should refrain both from speech and action.” – Pythagoras
- “Anger is an emotion that is often misunderstood. While it can be destructive when acted upon without clarity, it can also serve as a compass, pointing us to the places within us that demand attention and care.” – Clarissa Pinkola Estés

From ancient philosophers to modern-day thinkers, the exploration of anger remains a compelling journey, offering wisdom and insights into personal growth and the human experience.
The depth and breadth of thoughts on anger is extensive. Here are additional quotes for contemplation:
- “Anger is a choice, as well as a habit.” – Wayne Dyer
- “Bitterness and anger are parasitic emotions; they feed off their host and can consume your very essence.” – Brendon Burchard
- “Every time you get angry, you poison your own system.” – Alfred A. Montapert
- “Anger is often what pain looks like when it shows itself in public.” – Krista Tippett
- “To carry anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that by hating someone we hurt them, but hatred is a curved blade, and the harm we do to others we also do to ourselves.” – Mitch Albom
- “Don’t hold to anger, hurt or pain. They steal your energy and keep you from love.” – Leo Buscaglia
- “Usually when people are sad, they don’t do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they get angry, they bring about a change.” – Malcolm X
- “You have the right to feel any emotion you want, and to do what makes you happy. That’s why I believe in controlling anger and not letting it control me.” – Chaka Khan
- “Anger, even when it punishes the faults of delinquents, should never precede judgment but attend it.” – Jean-Baptiste Rousseau
- “The sharpest sword is a word spoken in wrath.” – Gautama Buddha
Through these quotes, we witness the diverse lenses through which anger is viewed, from a poison that eats away at the soul to a catalyst for change. It underscores the importance of understanding, channeling, and managing this powerful emotion in our lives.
Anger has been a subject of contemplation for centuries, and its multifaceted nature has been commented upon by many great minds. Here’s another selection of quotes:
- “It is wise to direct your anger towards problems — not people; to focus your energies on answers — not excuses.” – William Arthur Ward
- “Anger is a killing thing: it kills the man who angers, for each rage leaves him less than he had been before – it takes something from him.” – Louis L’Amour
- “It is not a man’s duty, as a matter of course, to devote himself to the eradication of any, even the most enormous wrong; he may still properly have other concerns to engage him; but it is his duty, at least, to wash his hands of it, and, if he gives it no thought longer, not to give it practically his support.” – Henry David Thoreau
- “Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight.” – Phyllis Diller
- “If you kick a stone in anger, you’ll hurt your own foot.” – Korean Proverb
- “A hand ready to hit, may cause you great trouble.” – Maori Proverb
- “No man can think clearly when his fists are clenched.” – George Jean Nathan
- “Consider how much more you often suffer from your anger and grief, than from those very things for which you are angry and grieved.” – Marcus Antonius
- “The anger of the prudent never shows.” – Burmese Proverb
- “The best time for you to hold your tongue is the time you feel you must say something or bust.” – Josh Billings
Anger, with its myriad expressions and consequences, offers endless opportunities for reflection and learning. These quotes serve as a reminder of the impact of anger and the wisdom of managing it mindfully.
- “Anger is a short madness.” – Horace
- “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” – Mark Twain
- “An angry man opens his mouth and shuts his eyes.” – Cato the Younger
- “For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” – Buddha
- “Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” – Ambrose Bierce
- “Anger is often more hurtful than the one that caused it.” – Chinese Proverb
- “Anger and jealousy can no more bear to lose sight of their objects than love.” – George Eliot
- “Anger is only a natural response to chronic disrespect, injustice, and abuse.” – Bryant H. McGill
- “Anger, tears and sadness are only for those who have given up.” – Katie Gill
These quotes provide further insight into the complexities of anger, illustrating both its destructive and instructive nature. They underscore the importance of self-awareness and the need for self-regulation when faced with this potent emotion.
The multifaceted nature of anger continues to inspire reflections from thinkers throughout the ages. Here’s another selection:
- “Anger dwells only in the bosom of fools.” – Albert Einstein
- “Whatever is begun in anger, ends in shame.” – Benjamin Franklin
- “Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.” – Robert Green Ingersoll
- “A man is about as big as the things that make him angry.” – Winston Churchill
- “The best answer to anger is silence.” – Marcus Aurelius
- “People won’t have time for you if you are always angry or complaining.” – Stephen Hawking
- “Anger does not solve problems – anger only makes things worse. I go by the old saying, ‘Don’t make important decisions when you’re angry.'” – Lionel Sosa
- “Anger is a momentary madness, so control your passion or it will control you.” – G. M. Trevelyan
- “The greatest remedy for anger is delay.” – Seneca
- “Anger is the enemy of non-violence and pride is a monster that swallows it up.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Navigating anger is a universal human challenge. These quotes emphasize not only the destructive power of unbridled anger but also the wisdom of approaching it with self-awareness and restraint.
- “Where there is anger, there is always pain underneath.” – Eckhart Tolle
- “To be angry is to let others’ mistakes punish oneself.” – Buddha
- “The strong man is not the good wrestler; the strong man is only the one who controls himself when he is angry.” – Prophet Muhammad
- “Anger’s like a battery that leaks acid right out of me, and it starts from the heart until it covers me whole.” – Sara Shepard
- “Anger ventilated often hurries towards forgiveness; anger concealed often hardens into revenge.” – Edward Bulwer-Lytton
- “Anger is a valid emotion. It’s only bad when it takes control and makes you do things you don’t want to do.” – Ellen Hopkins
- “How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.” – Marcus Aurelius
- “The world needs anger. The world often continues to allow evil because it isn’t angry enough.” – Bede Jarrett
- “When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out – because that’s what’s inside. When you are squeezed, what comes out is what is inside.” – Wayne Dyer
- “People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing.” – Will Rogers
The complexities of anger, from its roots to its repercussions, have been a subject of intrigue across various cultures and epochs. These quotes remind us of the importance of introspection, self-regulation, and understanding when grappling with this intense emotion.