1
as in resentment
a lingering ill will towards a person for a real or imagined wrong
he's had a grudge against her ever since she snubbed him at the dance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in hostility
a deep-seated ill will
there's been a grudge between the two families for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to dislike
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grudge
Bryan West,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
Shaquille O'Neal has held a grudge against Larry David since appearing on Curb Your Enthusiasm 25 years ago.
—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 June 2026
Margot Sanger-Katz,
New York Times,
25 Feb. 2025
So who could this grudge-holding mystery actress be?
—
Justin Curto,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grudge
Noun
Someone who embraces artistic risk and trust us with her memories, grudges, thoughts, secrets, fears, and dreams.
—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
Shaquille O'Neal has held a grudge against Larry David since appearing on Curb Your Enthusiasm 25 years ago.
—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 June 2026
Verb
Industry compliance has been grudging, slow and marked by extensive litigation.
—
Margot Sanger-Katz,
New York Times,
25 Feb. 2025
So who could this grudge-holding mystery actress be?
—
Justin Curto,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grudge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grudge
Noun
-
But resentment does not equate to the crime of price gouging under federal or state laws.
-
Even among the Allies, there were deep divisions, lingering resentment, and few agreements.
Noun
-
The accord called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a halt to hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon.
-
The memorandum of understanding calls for an end to all hostilities, including in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have been fighting Hezbollah.
Verb
-
Others disliked how visible Gabriel Vasconcelos' tongue was outside of his mouth while kissing.
-
The financial statements were not clean, the market disliked the company, shareholders were selling for reasons unrelated to value, and management was changing.
Noun
-
One fan, wearing perhaps the only white Ecuador jersey in the stadium, loudly aired his grievances near the team bus after the conclusion of the game.
-
That 7 percent of Makerfield voters chose Restore—even in the knowledge that doing so might deprive another anti-immigration party of victory—points to a deep well of racial grievance and anti-establishment anger that even Farage cannot command.
Noun
-
Police investigations showed that the pair are suspected of displaying seditious items and selling publications with seditious content inside the shop, including materials inciting hatred against the city's government, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies, the government said.
-
Not drinking seemed to me synonymous with a hatred of pleasure, a fascist quest for purity.
Verb
-
While prosecution witnesses have refused to delineate between the Lachman and Palisades blazes, Haney has repeatedly described them as two distinct incidents that ignited days apart.
-
After a May debate, Smullen refused to shake his opponent's hand.
Noun
-
And after spending most of Sunday as the guy the crowd didn’t want to see close the deal, Clark didn’t respond with bitterness.
-
Crisp and refreshing, the drink’s grapefruit bitterness was softened by carbonation, giving Mexico’s national cocktail a lively upgrade.
Verb
-
That agreement set a 60-day period for negotiations on key issues, including the future of Tehran’s nuclear program amid concerns that Iran wants to use it for military purposes, a claim the country denies.
-
Pitt's request for possible sanctions, or monetary fines, in the legal proceeding was denied, per court documents.
Cite this Entry
“Grudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grudge. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
