tirade

noun

ti·​rade ˈtī-ˌrād How to pronounce tirade (audio)
 also  ti-ˈrād
: a protracted speech usually marked by intemperate, vituperative, or harshly censorious language

Examples of tirade in a Sentence

He went into a tirade about the failures of the government. The coach directed a tirade at the team after the loss.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher went on one of his bad-boy tirades during a performance at the 1996 show by swearing, wandering the stage and making lewd gestures during his brother Noel's guitar solo. Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025 Trump's online onslaught comes after Newsom's office marked Labor Day with an all-caps tirade against Trump's policies, while the president and the White House shared more traditional messaging about celebrating workers. Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025 When Jeremiah wakes up the next morning, his tirade really starts to heat up. Claire Franken, TVLine, 3 Sep. 2025 The Russian launched a tirade at the chair umpire after a photographer stepped onto the court surface before repeatedly hitting his racket against his bench at the match’s conclusion. Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tirade

Word History

Etymology

French, shot, tirade, from Middle French, from Old Italian tirata, from tirare to draw, shoot

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tirade was in 1802

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tirade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tirade. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

tirade

noun
ti·​rade tī-ˈrād How to pronounce tirade (audio)
ˈtī-ˌrād
: a long violent angry speech : harangue

More from Merriam-Webster on tirade

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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