resentment
Americannoun
-
resentments
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of resentment
First recorded in 1610–20; from French ressentiment, Middle French resentiment, equivalent to resenti(r) to resent + -ment -ment
Explanation
Resentment, or the strong and painful bitterness you feel when someone does something wrong to you, doesn’t have actual physical weight, but it feels very heavy and can last a long time. Forgiveness is one way to get rid of resentment. Sometimes resentment lasts for years. It can be strong and hard to pull out, like an old, gnarled tree root. While resentment over being wronged can come from just one act against you, it also can get stronger over time, as in "your growing resentment might just come from the fact that the team captain always picks you last." It also comes from misunderstandings, like feeling resentment over a dirty look you thought was directed at you but really wasn't. It's usually best to root out resentment early.
Vocabulary lists containing resentment
Touching Spirit Bear
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"The First Day of School," Vocabulary from the short story
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Carrie Fisher (1956-2016) Tribute 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:
We see how growing up in a war zone and taking on the responsibility of his family’s future shaped him and how he fuels his drive with anger and resentment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
That gap is not primarily a story about rising working-class racial resentment.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
Student Suhey Ochoa, 30, would not vote for Rodriguez in a possible election due to the "deep resentment" she feels over the official handling of the recent earthquakes.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
It was his rejection of resentment and his respect for those who succeed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Remembering this, Rowan felt a flash of resentment.
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
But as the years and resentments pile on, their cancerous brotherhood threatens to obliterate them both.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
Looking too far into the past and too far into the future can exacerbate fears, regrets and resentments.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 9, 2026
So far, the areas reclaimed by government forces have been mainly Arab, where locals had resentments against the SDF.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2026
In a world of tribal hatreds and ancient resentments, the Gospel unites people in bonds of love who might otherwise have every reason to treat each other with suspicion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 27, 2025
Sometimes I came upon them standing close, arms encircling waists, heads close, as if they shared secrets that transcended the hurt and resentments, the name-calling and deceit.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
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.
