How do you cheer angrily without being insulting?

Question

I am trying to describe individuals who are watching a competition (e.g., any sporting event) but they are unhappy with how the result is going. Specifically, consider the subs of the losing team sitting on the bench. If they were happy, I would say they are cheering, but they are in fact very angry and disappointed because they are losing.
I could use "jeered" or "catcalled," but that is quite disrespectful, which usually the members of the same team would not do to each other; instead, they would perhaps be shouting angrily and disappointedly, but not in a rude way that perhaps fans might. So, something in between a cheer and a jeer.
e.g., The rest of the team looked on as yet another goal was missed, they got to their feet and ______ at their team members on the court/field.

Grand Torini · Accepted Answer

Whereas 'shout' or 'holler' can be used in a neutral way, differently from 'jeer' which only carries a negative connotation, and might be suitable

The rest of the team looked on as yet another goal was missed, they got to their feet and shouted at their team members on the court/field, a huge, disappointed "C'mon!!".

The expression 'hoot and holler' already conveys the idea of shouting in disapproval.
As per The Free Dictionary:

to shout in disapproval; to call and shout one's displeasure

Here an example from "Too Strong to Be Broken: The Life of Edward J. Driving Hawk"

It was a do or die game - the commander sat on the end of the bench - and he would hoot and holler at the coach when the team made mistakes. We lost more games than we won [...].

it might be worth noting that the same expression can be found to describe the cheering after a mistake of one's opponent and "a hoot and a holler" has a totally different meaning (Wikitionary, or in slang—Urban Dictionary).

niamulbengali · Answer

I suggest "rave".

The rest of the team looked on as yet another goal was missed; they got to their feet and raved at their team members on the court/field.

According to Lexico,

Rave (v 1.1)—address someone in an angry, uncontrolled way.
"Never mind how he feels!" Melissa raved.

Ryan M · Answer

They cried out at their team members.
This has a negative, but not insulting, connotation.
Merriam-Webster's definitions of "cry out" include "to make a loud sound because of pain, fear, surprise, etc.," which is applicable because of their (emotional) pain.  It also means "to speak in a loud voice : to say something loudly or from a distance," which quite literally describes the act of their yelling.

How do you cheer angrily without being insulting?

3 Answers

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question