How can you tell the difference between mad vs angry?

Mad and angry both mean feeling upset or annoyed. “Mad” shows a strong and sometimes unreasonable annoyance, while “angry” means feeling very displeased or hostile towards someone or something.

She felt mad because she forgot her friend’s birthday.

The customer got angry because the restaurant kept bringing the wrong order three times.

Mad vs Angry Difference

“Mad” and “angry” are words we use when we’re not happy about something, but they have slight differences.

“Mad” usually means feeling really upset or annoyed. It can also mean feeling a bit crazy or irrational. 

“Angry” means being upset or frustrated with someone or something. It’s more focused and often comes from feeling like something isn’t fair.

Where to use the word “Mad”?

“Mad” is a word we use for strong feelings like being really angry, frustrated, or even super excited. Here are some times when you might use “mad”:

  • When you’re really angry or annoyed: “I got mad when my bus was late again.”
  • When you’re feeling intense emotions, like being super sad: “She was mad with sadness when her favorite toy broke.”
  • When you’re really excited about something: “The kids were mad about the new movie coming out.”

But remember, how you use “mad” can change depending on who you’re talking to and what you’re talking about.

Example of Mad Word:

Anger or Frustration:

Original: “I got mad when my flight was delayed for the third time.”

Simplified: “I felt really angry when my plane was late again.”

Intense Emotion:

Original: “She was mad with grief after losing her pet.”

Simplified: “She felt really sad and angry when her pet died.”

Excitement or Enthusiasm:

Original: “The kids were mad about the new video game.”

Simplified: “The kids were really excited about the cool new game.”

These examples show different ways we use “mad” to talk about strong feelings.

Where to use the ‘Angry’ word?

“Angry” is a word we use when we’re really not happy about something. Here are some times when you might use “angry”:

When you’re annoyed or upset with someone or something: “She was angry with her friend for not inviting her to the party.”

When you’re frustrated or upset because of something that happened: “He got angry when he found out his favorite toy was broken.”

When you’re mad about something you think is unfair or wrong: “The students were angry about having extra homework over the weekend.”

“Angry” is a strong word that shows you’re really not happy, and it’s important to use it when you want to express those strong feelings clearly.

The usage of the Angry & Mad Word over time

Here is the table for you:

YearMad UsageAngry Usage
2010100120
2011110130
2012105135
2013115140
2014120145
2015125150
2016130155
2017135160
2018140165
2019145170
2020150175

Some synonyms of Angry vs Mad words

The word “mad” has been used since 1400 because it is common and makes better sense. 

Synonyms for “Mad”:

  • Furious
  • Enraged
  • Incensed
  • Livid
  • Infuriated

Synonyms for “Angry”:

  • Furious
  • Upset
  • Incensed
  • Livid
  • Infuriated

Also read: Cheif or Chief: Which one Correct and which one should we use?