hot under the collar
Fuming with irritation
Hot under the collar means angry or agitated, especially in response to criticism or provocation.
The image is of someone flushed with irritation, heat rising to the neck: He got hot under the collar when I questioned his credentials.
The phrase often describes defensiveness or quick temper rather than sustained rage.
Extremely angry
- enragedExtremely, intensely provoked
- lividExtremely angry or discolored
- seethingIntensely, quietly enraged
- incensedExtremely angry
irate · fuming · infuriated · wrathful · boiling · indignant · outraged · resentful
Facial reddening from embarrassment
- flusteredNervously upset and confused
- red-facedShowing visible embarrassment
- self-consciousUncomfortably aware of oneself
- mortifiedIntensely embarrassed
sheepish · abashed · discomfited · awkward · uncomfortable · chagrined · flushed · crimson
Troubled by uncertainty
- tenseStrained or nervous
- pressuredUrged with insistence
- strainedUnder uncomfortable tension
- agitatedEmotionally disturbed, restless
frazzled · on edge · wound up · keyed up · overwrought · flustered · rattled · edgy
Reasoned case or dispute
- disputeVerbal clash over differences
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
- altercationHeated verbal dispute
- quarrelAngry verbal dispute
squabble · heated exchange · face-off · standoff · provocation · hostility · antagonism · feud
furious
Extremely angry
- enragedExtremely, intensely provoked
- lividExtremely angry or discolored
- seethingIntensely, quietly enraged
incensed · irate · fuming · infuriated · wrathful · boiling · indignant · outraged · resentful · agitated
blushing
Facial reddening from embarrassment
- flusteredNervously upset and confused
- red-facedShowing visible embarrassment
- self-consciousUncomfortably aware of oneself
mortified · sheepish · abashed · discomfited · awkward · uncomfortable · chagrined · flushed · crimson · disconcerted
anxious
Troubled by uncertainty
agitated · frazzled · on edge · wound up · keyed up · overwrought · flustered · rattled · edgy · restless
argument
Reasoned case or dispute
- disputeVerbal clash over differences
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
- altercationHeated verbal dispute
quarrel · squabble · heated exchange · face-off · standoff · provocation · hostility · antagonism · feud · contention
- anger expressionssee red, seeing red, lose your temper, blow a fuse, blow a gasket
- clothing idiomsfit like a glove, dressed to the nines, dressed to kill, wear the pants, caught with pants down
- mood idiomsbad mood, black mood, dark mood, foul mood, in a mood
- ragerage, fury, wrath, enraged, furious
- temperature idiomscold shoulder, hot head, in hot water, cold feet, cool as a cucumber
- fire idiomsplay with fire, fight fire with fire, fan the flames, add fuel to fire, on fire
hot under the collarcool as a cucumber
Extremely calm and composed
cool and collected · unruffled · serene · tranquil · placid
hot under the collarunflappable
Impossible to disturb
imperturbable · even-tempered · easygoing · phlegmatic · stoic
hot under the collarcomposed
Calm and self-possessed
poised · unflappable · collected · self-possessed · dignified
under, collar, beneath, underneath, heater, collars, hottest, hotter, collaring