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View synonyms for

rankle

[ rang-kuhl ]

verb (used without object)

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

    Synonyms: , ,



verb (used with object)

rankled, rankling.
  1. to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment in:

    His colleague's harsh criticism rankled him for days.

    Synonyms: , ,

rankle

/ ˈæŋə /

verb

  1. intr to cause severe and continuous irritation, anger, or bitterness; fester

    his failure to win still rankles

“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
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Other Word Forms

  • kԲ· adverb
  • ܲ·k adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of rankle1

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 ō serpent; dragon, carbuncle
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Word History and Origins

Origin of rankle1

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

Examples have not been reviewed.

Needless to say, Trump's comments have rankled Canadian leaders, who warn of the president's ultimate designs on their homeland.

From

But what rankles him is not so much the scope of the agenda.

From

rankled Didion about this turn was that it reduced the complexity of all issues to tidy bromides.

From

That comment rankled Trump and drew him into the clash that up until this point had been limited to Zelensky and the vice-president.

From

It could also upset the stock market and rankle high-dollar corporate donors who need a reliable legal system to attract investors.

From

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