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

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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

How to use rankle in a sentence

To add to the discomfort the crew of the "Royal Oak" were rankling under a grievance.
The Dreadnought of the Air|Percy F. Westerman
Slaughter looked at him, his rage still rankling and burning.
Colonial Born|G. Firth Scott
The further resistance came, whether from rivals, or from the rankling anger in Elizabeth's breast.
Sir Walter Ralegh|William Stebbing
Somewhere, somehow, he had taken a cynic twist or a rankling wound that had turned his white man's blood once for all.
Where the Pavement Ends|John Russell

Still rankling in Hannah's memory was a day when Lise had returned from school, dark and mutinous, with a tale of such a family.
The Dwelling Place of Light, Complete|Winston Churchill

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 related to rankle

How to use rankle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rankle

Word Origin for rankle