Rant
/rænt/
nounverbB2
Definition
A rant is when someone talks for a long time with strong feelings, usually complaining or criticizing something. It is often loud and full of emotion, showing anger, frustration, or excitement. People rant when they want to express their opinions strongly and without stopping.
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See It in Action
A long, loud, emotional speech of complaint or anger (noun)
- •His rant about the bad service lasted for 10 minutes.
- •She went on a rant about the traffic jam this morning.
- •The politician’s rant upset many people in the audience.
To speak loudly and emotionally, often complaining or criticizing (verb)
- •He ranted about how unfair the rules were.
- •She ranted for hours on the phone about her problems.
- •Don’t rant at me; let’s talk calmly instead.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "rant" like "talk" (A1 word), but louder, longer, and full of strong feelings—more like shouting with words
- ✓Picture a person standing and speaking quickly with passion, their voice rising and hands moving as they complain or argue
- ✓It's the feeling you get when you want to say everything that bothers you without stopping, like telling a friend how unfair something is
- ✓Sounds like "rant" → imagine someone running fast and shouting all their thoughts out loud in one breath
- ✓Think of a character in a movie who talks loudly and angrily about something they don’t like for a long time
- ✓NOT like "whisper" (quiet and soft), a rant is loud and strong
- ✓NOT like "chat" (friendly and calm talk), a rant is emotional and often negative
- ✓NOT like "lecture" (formal teaching), a rant is informal and emotional, often personal
- ✓NOT like "complain" (short or calm), a rant is longer and more intense
Try Other Words
- •Complain: say something is wrong or not good (Use when the feeling is less intense and the talk is shorter)
- •Blow up: suddenly get very angry and speak loudly (Use when emotion is sudden and explosive)
- •Lecture: speak seriously to teach or advise (Use when the talk is calm and meant to inform or teach)
- •Rant and rave: speak loudly and angrily for a long time (Use when you want to emphasize very strong emotions)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix, root word "rant")
- •Etymology: From old English or Scandinavian origin, related to speaking loudly or wildly
- •Historical development: Originally meant to talk loudly or wildly, now often means complaining loudly and emotionally
- •Modern usage: Used to describe long, emotional complaints or speeches, both as noun and verb
- •Key insight: The word captures strong, emotional, often negative speech that is more intense than normal talking or complaining
Reflect & Connect
•When do you think it is okay or helpful to rant? Can rants ever solve problems?
•How do you feel when someone rants to you? Does it help you understand their feelings better or make you want to stop listening?
Fill in the blanks
1.He went on a rant because he was ___ about the slow internet connection.
2.When she rants, her voice gets ___ and she talks very fast.
3.A rant is different from a simple complaint because it is usually ___ and longer.
4.Instead of listening calmly, some people get upset when others ___ loudly.
5.People often rant about things they feel ___ about, like unfair rules or bad service.
6.After his rant, everyone felt ___ and ready to discuss the problem more calmly.
7.You can say "rant and rave" to describe someone who is ___ and angry for a long time.