resentment

American  

[ri-zent-muhnt] / rɪˈzɛnt mənt /

noun

• resentments
  plural

1. the feeling of displeasure or indignation at some act, remark, person, etc., regarded as causing injury or insult.

   Synonyms:

   jealousy, envy, irritation, pic, dudgeon

---

resentment British  

/ rɪˈzɛntmənt /

noun

1. anger, bitterness, or ill will

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-resentment
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• resentments
  plural

---

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

resentment resentments

The moves, and the chatter among expatriates about possibly leaving Saudi Arabia, have stirred resentment among some Saudis who feel well-heeled foreigners have not stuck by their side.

From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026

However, the sheer scale of a major clampdown would present a formidable challenge, and could generate resentment.

From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026

“A little resentment builds. It can be the difference between making it to the top or not.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

Still, there’s clearly a lot of resentment among some Christian conservative women about husbands who don’t do chores.

From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026

It was the kind of thing she would have discussed with Odenigbo, Kainene’s voicing for the first time a resentment with their parents and with her, but she and Odenigbo hardly talked.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The company and its followers have long chafed at their second-class status, and last week’s iPhone unveiling reignited the resentments.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

The secretary-general of the transatlantic alliance, Mark Rutte, told reporters on Monday that Trump had aired his resentments in a recent phone call.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

Aboveground, Clark is trapped in his own resentments, throwing temper tantrums like a toddler.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

He sounded a lot like someone whose hidden resentments had found expression in sophomoric ideologies!

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

We must come to see, too, how our economic insecurities and racial resentments have been exploited for political gain, and how this manipulation has caused suffering for people of all colors.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• acrimony
• animosity
• animus
• annoyance
• antagonism
• bitterness
• cynicism
• displeasure
• exasperation
• fury
• grudge
• ill will
• indignation
• ire
• irritation
• malice
• outrage
• passion
• rage
• rancor

---