verb
Uncommon
rant
rant
Rant (verb) means to speak or complain loudly and at length, often in anger. Example: “He ranted about the referee's decision for the entire journey home.”
verb
1
To speak or complain loudly and at length, often in anger.
"He ranted about the referee's decision for the entire journey home."
"She ranted online about the poor customer service."
"Dad always rants when the broadband stops working in the middle of a film."
noun
1
A long, angry, or emotional outburst of speech or writing.
"His social media rant went viral overnight."
"She launched into a rant about the state of public transport."
"After the delay, the passenger delivered a furious rant at the airline desk."
How to use rant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo talk (or a talk) that's loud, long, and often angry or one-sided.
Common pairings
go on a rant
rant about something
rant and rave
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like rant.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- rants
- Third person singular
- rants
- Past tense
- ranted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He _____ about the referee's decision for the entire journey home.
Etymology
From Dutch ranten, "to talk nonsense or rave," of uncertain further origin.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for rant
See all rhymes for rant →Frequently asked questions
What does “rant” mean?
The word “rant” means to speak or complain loudly and at length, often in anger. In plain terms, to talk (or a talk) that's loud, long, and often angry or one-sided.
How do you pronounce “rant”?
“Rant” is pronounced rant (/ɹænt/ in IPA).
How do you use “rant” in a sentence?
Here is “rant” used in a sentence: “He ranted about the referee's decision for the entire journey home.”
What part of speech is “rant”?
Depending on how it is used, “rant” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “rant” come from?
The word “rant” comes from Dutch. From Dutch ranten, "to talk nonsense or rave," of uncertain further origin.
Is “rant” a common word?
“Rant” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “rant” have?
“Rant” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to speak or complain loudly and at length, often in anger.
What is the difference between a rant and a complaint?
A rant is typically longer, louder, and more emotionally charged, continuing at length once someone starts speaking angrily. An ordinary complaint can be calm and brief, while a rant implies a sustained outburst driven by strong feeling.
Is rant formal or informal?
Rant is generally used in informal contexts, in both speech and writing, such as describing an angry social media post or a heated outburst. It would be unusual to describe a formal statement as a rant.
What does it mean to "go on a rant"?
To "go on a rant" means to launch into a long, angry, or emotional outburst of speech or writing, often triggered by frustration. The phrase implies the speaker keeps talking at length once they start.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include rant:
