- Means angry, annoyed, or irritated.
- Can range in intensity from mild annoyance to strong anger.
- **Crucial Note:** In British/Australian English, pissed by itself usually means drunk. Pissed off means angry in both US/Canada and UK/Aus/NZ English.
Explanation
Origin
- Piss has been used vulgarly for urination for centuries.
- The phrase pissed off emerged in the mid-20th century, likely originating in military slang during World War II.
- The connection between anger and urination is unclear; perhaps related to the idea of being so angry one could lose bladder control (hyperbole), or simply using piss as a general vulgar intensifier for off (unhappy, displeased).
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- Fuming
- Livid
- Seeing red
- Mad as hell (Informal)
- Raging
Slang/Informal:
- Ticked off / Ticked
- Cheesed off (UK/Aus)
- Mad (Common, esp. US)
- Sore (Informal, esp. about losing or being slighted)
- Salty (Slang, often for minor irritation or resentment)
Milder/Standard:
- Annoyed
- Irritated
- Upset
- Angry
- Unhappy
- Displeased (Formal)
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to very informal, depending on intensity and context.
- It contains mild profanity (piss). While common in casual speech, avoid in formal settings, professional communication (unless the environment is extremely casual), or with people who might be offended by such language (e.g., some older people, in religious contexts).
- Ticked off is a common milder alternative.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- The biggest warning is the regional difference: an American saying I was so pissed last night means they were angry, while a Brit saying the same means they were drunk. Context is vital, but pissed off consistently means angry everywhere.
- Using it in formal settings can be inappropriate due to the mild profanity.
Examples
- I was really pissed off when he lied to me. (Strong anger)
- She got pissed off because I was late. (Annoyed)
- Don't talk to him right now; he's pissed off about the meeting. (Angry/Irritated)
Dialogue
Person A: Hey, have you seen Mark? He seemed really upset earlier.
Person B: Yeah, he's pissed off. His flight got canceled, and now he's stuck here overnight.
Person A: Oh man, that sucks! I'd be pissed off too. Is he trying to rebook?
Person B: I think so. Better give him some space for a bit though.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Just got a parking ticket when the meter was clearly broken. So pissed off right now! 😠#parking #fail #pissedoff
- Facebook status: Really pissed off with the customer service I just received. Unacceptable!
- Reddit comment: Yeah, my roommate ate my leftovers again. I'm pretty pissed off about it.
Response Patterns
- Asking why: What happened? / Why are you/they pissed off?
- Sympathy/Agreement: Yeah, I'd be pissed off too. / That's understandable.
- Offering solutions/calming: Try to calm down. / Is there anything I can do?
- Caution: Okay, I'll steer clear then.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After hearing someone is pissed off:
- Inquire about the cause of the anger.
- Offer support or a listening ear.
- Give the person space if needed.
- If you caused the anger, apologize or try to resolve the issue.
Conversation Starter
- No. Describes a state, usually mentioned within a conversation about feelings or events.
Intonation
- Said with clear annoyance or anger.
- Emphasis typically on pissed. PISSED off.
Generation Differences
- Widely understood and used across most adult generations in informal contexts.
Regional Variations
- Pissed off (angry) is used in US, Canada, UK, Aus, NZ etc.
- **Crucial:** Pissed (drunk) is primarily UK/Aus/NZ. Americans/Canadians almost exclusively use pissed to mean pissed off (angry). This is a major point of potential confusion.