resent
Americanverb (used with object)
-
resents,
present (3rd person singular)
-
resented,
past participle, past
-
resenting
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
resentsimple
-
resentssimple
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have resentedperfect
-
has resentedperfect
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am resentingprogressive
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are resentingprogressive
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is resentingprogressive
-
have been resentingperfect progressive
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has been resentingperfect progressive
Past
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resentedsimple
-
had resentedperfect
-
was resentingprogressive
-
were resentingprogressive
-
had been resentingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of resent
First recorded in 1595–1605; from French ressentir “to feel (an emotion),” from Old French res(s)entir, equivalent to re- re- + sentir “to feel,” from Latin sentīre; see sense
Explanation
To resent something is to feel anger or bitterness toward it. You might resent someone who has treated you poorly. To resent is a strong, negative feeling. You may resent the accusation that you were stealing cookies, or when a teacher yelled at you for whispering, even though everyone else was too. You might resent a friend who has more money or friends than you. Lots of people resent celebrities because they're famous and wealthy. If your friend borrowed a sweater and didn’t return it, you would probably resent it. Resenting is the opposite of being grateful.
Vocabulary lists containing resent
The Diary of Anne Frank
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List 3
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ACT Vocabulary List
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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.
See Examples For:
Some resent the banning of mobile phones or school days that last until 18:00.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Year: 2014 Compiled by: Forrest Wickman and Ellie Skrzat Of note: The rapper Birdman is ranked near the bottom, a fact that I personally resent.
From Slate ● Oct. 7, 2026
Many year-round residents resent the notion that wealthy second-home owners can purchase a piece of beach and prevent locals from using it, said Lisa Stewart, who moved to the island in the 1980s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
"I think a lot of country folk just want to be left alone to breed their sheep and hang their moles and resent people who come to the countryside with different views," he says.
From BBC ● Mar. 22, 2026
All of this makes the other teachers resent Miss Saunders even more.
From "The Skin I'm In" by Sharon G. Flake
‘I’d rather be on a beach in Bali’: My husband resents my $8 million net worth.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
Spending her Saturday not in uniform but in a T-shirt and jeans, she would like to enjoy a coffee outside -- and resents that her more religious compatriots think otherwise.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
But although Adrian soon picks up a camera as well, increasingly interested in being a filmmaker himself, he resents how his father intrudes on their time together by constantly shooting their conversations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
"As she said in her own memoir, she resents that others defined her the first time around," Jellison told the BBC.
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026
Though in Werner’s weaker moments, he resents those same qualities in his sister.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
"I think he really resented how loved she was, and how revered she was, and how adored she was, and that was actually part of why he wanted to destroy her."
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
Many community members also resented attempts by these organizations to work with local politicians who were criticized for their handling of the disaster.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026
He’s long resented her inability to contain the frenzy surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein files.
From Slate ● Apr. 4, 2026
As Ms. Iritani explains, their success was resented, especially during the Depression.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026
Bigwig, who was generous and honest, had never for a moment resented Hazel’s courage on the night when his own superstitious fear had got the better of him.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
“When you don’t plan for joy, you end up either overspending impulsively or depriving yourself and resenting your money plan.”
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 27, 2026
I grew up Hasidic and spent much of my adult life resenting it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 29, 2026
She’s still reeling from her father’s death while also resenting having to parent Robbie’s kids after his wife abandoned them.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2025
He said he fell into a deep depression and began resenting his first-generation status, blaming his Mexican immigrant parents for not better educating him on how to be a competitive college applicant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 27, 2024
I was too busy resenting Barack for managing to fit workouts into his schedule, for example, to even begin figuring out how to exercise regularly myself.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
