use in anger

verb

Used for its intended purpose, as opposed to e.g. practice or testing

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Meanings

verbuse in anger (third-person singular simple present uses in anger, present participle using in anger, simple past and past participle used in anger)

present singular third person uses in anger · participle present using in anger · participle past used in anger · past used in anger

  1. idiomaticUsed for its intended purpose, as opposed to e.g. practice or testing

    Just having a play before I use in anger

    2020 June 10, anonymous author, AutoCAD LT Forum
    2 more examples

    The key element that has yet to be used in anger is the payment calculation function of the operating system.

    2007 March 29, The Rural Payments Agency and the implementation of the Single Payment Scheme: third report of session 2006-07, Vol. 2: Oral and written evidence, Volume 2, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, →ISBN

    Outside of testing when first built I doubt those protections have ever actually been used in anger!

    2024 February 12, craigybagel, Rail UK Forums

Origin

By extension, from fire in anger.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

use in anger. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/use%20in%20anger

MLA

“use in anger.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/use%20in%20anger. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “use in anger,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/use%20in%20anger.

Source: use in anger on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.