resentment
Americannoun
-
resentments
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
With work, she says she has let go of resentment over how she was treated – and remains immensely grateful to the people who stood by her.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
It could be years before the U.S. reaps any tangible benefits from its oil reserves, even as resentment in Venezuela grows.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
We see how growing up in a war zone and taking on the responsibility of his family’s future shaped him and how he fuels his drive with anger and resentment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
That gap is not primarily a story about rising working-class racial resentment.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
Watching soccer practice brings me a pang that’s part longing, part regret, and part resentment.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
Aboveground, Clark is trapped in his own resentments, throwing temper tantrums like a toddler.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026
But as the years and resentments pile on, their cancerous brotherhood threatens to obliterate them both.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
For a variety of reasons, not least because people have questions, curiosities, comparisons and resentments.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 13, 2026
His focus strayed from rebuilding the moral and social foundations of struggling communities toward mobilizing their resentments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026
Her gripe with Rhonda had been petty, as most childhood resentments are.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
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.
