rankle — to cause persistent feelings of resentment, irritation, or anger
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to cause persistent feelings of resentment, irritation, or anger
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈræŋkəl/
Example Sentences
- The fact that my younger brother got a higher salary than me continues to rankle.
- It rankles me that my cat gets more likes on Instagram than I do.
- The teacher's sarcastic comment about his presentation still rankles with him.
rankle
VERB[/ˈræŋkəl/]
to cause persistent feelings of resentment, irritation, or anger
That unfair comment from last week still rankles him during every quiet moment.
The ankle pain will heal, but their wrangle continues to rankle
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Middle Dutch 'rankelen' or Old French 'rancler', derived from Latin 'dracunculus' meaning 'little dragon' or 'serpent'. The word originally referred to a festering sore or ulcer (draco/dracunculus), which metaphorically became associated with persistent irritation.
Breakdown
rank- (from dracunculus, a sore) + -le (verb suffix) = rankle (to fester or cause persistent irritation)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The fact that my younger brother got a higher salary than me continues to rankle.”
“It rankles me that my cat gets more likes on Instagram than I do.”
“The teacher's sarcastic comment about his presentation still rankles with him.”
“What really rankles is when people chew loudly during movies.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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