resentment
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of resentment
First recorded in 1610–20; from French ressentiment, Middle French resentiment, equivalent to resenti(r) to resent + -ment -ment
Explanation
Resentment, or the strong and painful bitterness you feel when someone does something wrong to you, doesn’t have actual physical weight, but it feels very heavy and can last a long time. Forgiveness is one way to get rid of resentment. Sometimes resentment lasts for years. It can be strong and hard to pull out, like an old, gnarled tree root. While resentment over being wronged can come from just one act against you, it also can get stronger over time, as in "your growing resentment might just come from the fact that the team captain always picks you last." It also comes from misunderstandings, like feeling resentment over a dirty look you thought was directed at you but really wasn't. It's usually best to root out resentment early.
Vocabulary lists containing resentment
Touching Spirit Bear
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"The First Day of School," Vocabulary from the short story
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Carrie Fisher (1956-2016) Tribute List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Will she become even more involved in your life and direct even more anger and resentment toward you?
From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026
Brad Carlson described a "bubbling" resentment between his mother and aunt.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
That feeling of survival and resentment and entitlement really looms over this season.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
Residents told BBC Eye that strikes hitting residential areas risk deepening resentment, even among those who had previously been critical of the Iranian regime.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
I don’t want to hear any more about Mrs. Winters’s resentment toward her daughter for being my mentor.
From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
