rancor

American

[rang-ker] / ˈræŋ kər /

especially British, rancour

noun

bitter, rankling resentment or ill will; hatred; malice.

Synonyms:

animosity, venom, spite, bitterness

Antonyms:

benevolence

Related Words

See malevolence.

Other Word Forms

rancored adjective
unrancored adjective

Etymology

Origin of rancor

1175–1225; Middle English rancour, from Middle French, from Late Latin rancōr- (stem of rancor ) “rancidity,” equivalent to Latin ranc(ēre) ( rancid ) + -ōr- -or ¹

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.

You have two choices after that: Mention it in a review — factually and without rancor — or contact the Airbnb Resolution Center.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026

Some supporters of Ken Paxton think that rancor is more important.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

But rancor reignited when she tried to return to the States with her husband, a Radio Tokyo journalist whose name she had taken.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025

At his saying that, everyone around the fire broke out laughing— a sort of sardonic laughter intended to convey deep-rooted rancor and hatred.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023