went postal
Flew into rage
Went postal means to suddenly become violently angry or lose control, especially in a workplace setting.
The phrase emerged in the 1990s from a series of shootings by U.S.
Postal Service employees.
It now applies broadly to any explosive outburst: He went postal when he saw the parking ticket.
Often used hyperbolically for intense but non-violent anger.
Intense violent anger
- angerIntense hostile emotion
- wrathFierce, punishing anger
- outburstSudden emotional release
- explosionViolent burst of energy
eruption · blowup · frenzy · berserk · snapped · unhinged · enraged · livid
Broke with sudden force
- crackedHaving surface fractures
- lost controlFailed to maintain composure
- unraveledCame undone or solved
- derangedMentally disturbed, irrational
mental break · unhinged · dissociation · episode · crisis · instability · disintegration
Violent, destructive outburst
- shootingDischarging a weapon
- massacreLarge-scale unlawful killing
- attackAggressive act against another
- assaultViolent offensive act
gunman · workplace violence · mass shooting · spree · killing · homicide · carnage · bloodshed
Sullenly dissatisfied
- employeeHired organizational member
- officeProfessional work location
- coworkerFellow employee
- firedTerminated from employment
layoff · termination · grievance · hostile · retaliation · supervisor · management · harassment
fury
Intense violent anger
explosion · eruption · blowup · frenzy · berserk · snapped · unhinged · enraged · livid · seething
snapped
Broke with sudden force
- crackedHaving surface fractures
- lost controlFailed to maintain composure
- unraveledCame undone or solved
mental break · deranged · unhinged · dissociation · episode · crisis · instability · disintegration
rampage
Violent, destructive outburst
- shootingDischarging a weapon
- massacreLarge-scale unlawful killing
- attackAggressive act against another
assault · gunman · workplace violence · mass shooting · spree · killing · homicide · carnage · bloodshed · slaughter
disgruntled
Sullenly dissatisfied
fired · layoff · termination · grievance · hostile · retaliation · supervisor · management · harassment · burnout
- lost controllost control, lost it, snapped, freaked out, flipped out
went postalstayed calm
kept one's cool · chilled out · bit one's tongue · held it together · mellowed out
went postalwalked away
Left by foot
de-escalated · cooled down · stepped back · grinned and bore it · rolled with the punches
went, postal, post, posts, posted, posting, postage, postman, postmaster