rankle
verb (used without object)
(of unpleasant feelings, experiences, etc.) to continue to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment within the mind; fester; be painful.
had rankled
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past perfectof rankle.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
But the apparent lack of progress on the Seahawks’ front had rankled other NFL owners over the years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 18, 2026
“What always had rankled me was the fact that my sister is a little smarter than I am,” Segal said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2022
The lack of physical access had rankled lobbyists, as well as advocacy groups whose members, from dairy farmers to tenants, relied on so-called “lobby days” to meet with lawmakers.
From New York Times ● Mar. 14, 2022
American and European diplomats shuttled to the blast-wall-protected villas of the country’s political elite, asking them to give President Ashraf Ghani some space to keep pursuing the reforms that had rankled so many.
From New York Times ● Dec. 12, 2017
She could not keep out of her voice the bitterness that had rankled all these weeks.
From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare
