fly off the handle

idiom

informal
: to lose control of one's emotions : to become very angry
He tends to fly off the handle when people disagree with him.

Examples of fly off the handle in a Sentence

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Their iron grip on the series and rigid insistence on total creative control hasn’t always prevented the films from flying off the handle or ballooning into bloated, confusing messes (that bit in Spectre where Bond learns Blofeld is his brother — wasn’t that an Austin Powers plot point?). Benjamin Svetkey, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 Honestly, Greer’s right to be worried about her husband flying off the handle or getting caught up in his emotions. Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Fly off the handle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fly%20off%20the%20handle. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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