What does tantrum mean?
Word: Tantrum
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Tantrum means a sudden fit of anger or bad temper, often with crying, shouting or stamping, especially by a young child who cannot get what he or she wants.
Synonyms: fit, rage
How do you spell tantrum?
Syllables: tan - trum
Tricky part: There are two t's, one at the start of each beat, and the second vowel is a u, not a or e.
Watch out for: tantram, tantrem, tantrom
Memory tip: A child in a tantrum bangs like a drum. The word ends in rum, just as drum does.
Idioms and Phrases
- throw a tantrum: To suddenly behave in a very angry, noisy way. Example: "The toddler threw a tantrum when the swing was taken away."
Tantrum in a sentence
Example 1: My baby brother had a tantrum because he could not wear his torn superhero cape.
Example 2: The film star's tantrum on the set made the news.
Example 3: Mum waited calmly until the tantrum was over.
Fun Fact
Nobody knows for certain where tantrum comes from; it first turns up in English writing in the early 1700s.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word: tantrum
a) outburst
b) patience
c) silence
d) lullaby
Show answer
a) outburst. An outburst, like a tantrum, is a sudden show of strong feeling.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Mateo's little cousin had a tentrum in the toy shop when he was told he could not buy a third balloon.
a) third
b) tentrum
c) cousin
d) balloon
Show answer
b) tentrum. The first beat of tantrum is tan, with an a.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
mutnart
a) truant
b) tandem
c) tantrum
d) nutmeg
Show answer
c) tantrum. Tandem and nutmeg need letters that are not here, and truant has no m, so the seven letters make tantrum.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Pick the scene that shows a tantrum.
a) giggling at a funny cartoon
b) screaming and kicking in a shop
c) yawning before an afternoon nap
d) humming softly while drawing
Show answer
b) screaming and kicking in a shop
2. What usually helps a child's tantrum pass?
a) turning up loud music
b) a hug and a quiet corner
c) shouting back louder
d) taking away more toys
Show answer
b) a hug and a quiet corner
