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Synonyms

rancorous

American  
[rang-ker-uhs] / ˈræŋ kər əs /

adjective

  1. full of or showing rancor.


Other Word Forms

  • rancorously adverb
  • rancorousness noun
  • unrancorous adjective

Etymology

Origin of rancorous

First recorded in 1580–90; rancor + -ous

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.

Few are as rancorous as what has gone on at Two Sigma.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

It can turn a rancorous conversation into a more soulful and forgiving one.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026

That setback added to rancorous divisions among member states over the deal's impact on European farmers, who remained deaf to the EU's arguments and staged months of tractor-mounted protests against the accord.

From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026

After more than 20 rancorous years apart, a rerelease of the Talking Heads classic 1983 concert film “Stop Making Sense” has brought détente, and maybe more.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2025

Skepticism was forceful, even rancorous; arguments lasted for years, with critics charging that Dillehay’s evidence was too low- quality to accept.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann