Meaning & use
pissed off
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivenot comparableinformalvulgar
Very annoyed or angry about something that has happened.
Grammar: Used after linking verbs like be, feel, get, or seem: I was pissed off about the delay.
Patterns
- be pissed off about something
- be pissed off at someone
- be pissed off with someone
- get pissed off
She was really pissed off when her flight was canceled.
He gets pissed off if you keep him waiting.
I'm pissed off at myself for forgetting the tickets.
Common combinations
- really pissed off
- My boss was really pissed off about the mistake.
- get pissed off
- Don't get pissed off over small things.
- pissed off with someone
- She's still pissed off with me for missing her party.
- pissed off about something
- He was pissed off about the way he was treated.
Synonyms and how they differ
- annoyed
- Neutral and much milder; use it in formal or professional contexts where pissed off would be too strong or rude.
- angry
- Stronger and neutral; it describes the emotion itself, while pissed off often suggests irritation caused by a specific event.
- irritated
- Suggests mild annoyance, not full anger; less intense than pissed off.
Opposites
Commonly confused: pissed off or pissed?
pissed off vs pissed
In British English, pissed usually means drunk, not angry, so 'I was pissed' can be misunderstood. In American English, pissed can mean angry, but it is still vulgar.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'pissed off' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Pissed off' is an adjective, so it follows a linking verb like 'was' and takes 'about' before the cause. 'She pissed off about...' uses it as a verb, which is not standard, and the other prepositions do not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pissed off”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.