Apoplexing

Part of speech: verb, adjective

Definitions

1. A state of extreme anger or rage that can cause physical incapacitation or emotional shock; a condition of being overwhelmed by furious emotions resulting in a loss of control; an intense reaction characterized by sudden and intense annoyance or outrage that may lead to a physical or emotional collapse
2. A severe emotional response marked by such high levels of fury that it can incapacitate or render one speechless; an overwhelming feeling of rage that may have physical repercussions or mental disturbances; a vehement expression of anger that can result in losing one's composure or becoming physically affected
3. An outburst of excessive anger that is so profound it can cause serious distress or even health issues; an intense display of wrath that may disrupt one’s ability to think or respond appropriately; a dramatic surge of fury resulting in potential physical or mental incapacitation

Etymology: Apoplex is the root here, and it comes from the Greek "apoplēxia," meaning a stroke or a sudden striking down, built from "apo" (away, off) and "plēssein" (to strike). Medieval physicians used the noun for a sudden loss of consciousness and bodily function, which is where the modern sense of a stroke comes from. The verb "apoplex," meaning to strike someone with apoplexy or to overwhelm them with a sudden fit, was formed from that noun in English. The word's emotional sense grew out of the medical one. Doctors believed that a sudden blow of rage or shock could bring on the same collapse as a stroke, so people spoke of being apoplexed with anger long before the phrase became an ordinary figure of speech. The form "apoplexing" is simply the participle of that verb, describing someone who is being struck down by fury or shock.

Synonyms: infuriating, enraging, exasperating, outraging, incensing

Antonyms: calming, soothing, pacifying