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.
rankles
-
present tense formof rankle (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
It still rankles, apparently: At that “legal forum” in May 2025 in St. Petersburg, Konstantin Chuychenko, the Russian minister of justice held forth on the subject.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Davies has played against England three times, including a 2-1 loss at Euro 2016 - a result that still rankles.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2025
Marvin Casey did not get to interrogate John Orr or arrest him or even tag along, which still rankles a little, but Casey did more than anyone to expose Orr’s double life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2025
That rankles, and the latest street protests over pay have come from police officers.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 8, 2024
Mrs. Torrence, though that shell still rankles, is greatly appeased by the labours of last night.
From A Journal of Impressions in Belgium by May Sinclair
