rankle

[ rang-kuhl ]

/ ˈræŋ kəl /

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See synonyms for: rankle / rankling on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), ran·kled, ran·kling.

(of unpleasant feelings, experiences, etc.) to continue to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment within the mind; fester; be painful.

verb (used with object), ran·kled, ran·kling.

to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment in: His colleague's harsh criticism rankled him for days.

OTHER WORDS FOR rankle

1, 2 irritate, gall, chafe.

See synonyms for rankle on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

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Origin of rankle

1250–1300; Middle English ranclen<Middle French rancler,Old French raoncler, variant of draoncler to fester, derivative of draoncle a sore <Late Latin dracunculus small serpent, diminutive of Latin dracō serpent; see dragon, carbuncle

OTHER WORDS FROM rankle

ran·kling·ly, adverbun·ran·kled, adjective

Words nearby rankle

Rankine scale, ranking, ranking member, Rankin, Jeanette, rankism, rankle, rank scale, rankshift, ransack, ransom, Ransome

How to use rankle in a sentence

That fact rankles Campagnoni, whose rent is almost 50% higher in his new room in a downtown apartment building.
He Tore Down Motels Where Poor Residents Lived During a Housing Crisis. City Leaders Did Nothing.|by Anjeanette Damon, photography by David Calvert, special to ProPublica|November 12, 2021|ProPublica
Their home is a jaw-dropping luxury loft that she pays for, and Abdul-Mateen conveys, subtly, how this rankles Anthony’s masculine pride.
Candyman Teases Out New Relevance From a ‘90s Horror Classic|Stephanie Zacharek|August 27, 2021|Time
She was also tasked with taking over Nichols’s Finals hosting duties in the bubble, which appeared to rankle Nichols.
Rachel Nichols is back on the air, but the fallout at ESPN is just beginning|Ben Strauss|July 8, 2021|Washington Post
The fact that his success grows with no apparent effort on his part rankles others.
Bob Baffert, long horse racing’s irreverent king, sits on a precarious throne|Chuck Culpepper, Gus Garcia-Roberts|May 14, 2021|Washington Post

Andrew Johnson was ill-suited for the moment, setting off a Reconstruction process that would rankle many Northern veterans who wondered what they had fought for.
The future in Afghanistan may be key to the well-being of America’s soldiers|Dillon Carroll|May 6, 2021|Washington Post
“Operation Fast and Furious” continues to rankle some Republicans.
The GOP Senate: A New Utopia Dawns|P. J. O’Rourke|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Newcomers may rankle you at first, but these may be false starts to lifelong bonds.
Your Horoscopes|Starsky + Cox|May 21, 2011|DAILY BEAST
As prickly as these issues are, others rankle at least as much.
Obama's China Summit Woes|Leslie H. Gelb|January 16, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Sibley heard a low, poisonous laugh of triumph rankle through the hotel office.
You Never Know Your Luck, Complete|Gilbert Parker
She had a high temper herself; but anger did not rankle in her heart for days and days, as it did in Johnny's.
Dotty Dimple At Home|Sophie May
Majuba Hill was made to rankle in the memory of the English people by a persistent press campaign.
The Outline of History: Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind|Herbert George Wells
Nevertheless, it can do no harm to say that kind words never rankle, while bitter words do.
The Deerslayer|James Fenimore Cooper
Deeply in their bosoms rankle wrongs and insults we have given, Blood alone can wash it, Kripa, such the cruel will of Heaven!
Maha-bharata|Anonymous

British Dictionary definitions for rankle

rankle

/ (ˈræŋkəl) /

verb

(intr) to cause severe and continuous irritation, anger, or bitterness; festerhis failure to win still rankles

Word Origin for rankle

C14 ranclen, from Old French draoncler to fester, from draoncle ulcer, from Latin dracunculus small serpent, from dracō serpent; see dragon

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

rankle

OTHER WORDS FOR rankle

Origin of rankle

OTHER WORDS FROM rankle

Words nearby rankle

Words related to rankle

How to use rankle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rankle

Word Origin for rankle