begrudge

verb

be·​grudge bi-ˈgrəj How to pronounce begrudge (audio)
bē-
begrudged; begrudging; begrudges

transitive verb

1
: to give or concede reluctantly or with displeasure
begrudge money
begrudged the weeks spent away from home
2
: to look upon with disapproval or envy
begrudge their rivals' success
begrudger noun

Examples of begrudge in a Sentence

She's worked hard to get where she is. You shouldn't begrudge her the success she's earned. After what he's been through, it's hard to begrudge him the money he has. You shouldn't begrudge her success. Many commuters begrudge every minute spent in traffic.
Recent Examples on the Web Fairness is in the eye of the begrudged, and people are begrudged for lots of reasons, bad and good. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 11 Jan. 2024 Langer, who turned pro at age 15 in Germany, does not begrudge Rahm, who’s endured ample criticism. Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2024 Nobody begrudges the ransoming of a 4-year-old Hamas hostage. Holman W. Jenkins, Jr., WSJ, 5 Dec. 2023 Americans, especially, understand the compact of commerce, and rarely begrudge our role in that near-patriotic process. Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023 Some in law enforcement begrudge that her short stint in digital assets prosecution helped Haun attain wealth and fame, even as others who established the field didn’t reap the same benefits. Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2023 His parents are not very supportive, including begrudging him the money for college. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2023 Wilson is, as always, Anderson’s ideal vessel, openhearted and phony all at once, impossible to begrudge. Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 June 2023 In the meantime, having helped raise the profile and pay for women’s hockey, Knight is not going to begrudge fellow players from cashing in on the lucrative contracts being offered by the rival Premier Hockey Federation. John Wawrow, BostonGlobe.com, 16 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'begrudge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English begrucchen, from be- be- + grucchen, gruggen "to murmur, grudge entry 1"

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of begrudge was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near begrudge

Cite this Entry

“Begrudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/begrudge. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

begrudge

verb
be·​grudge bi-ˈgrəj How to pronounce begrudge (audio)
: to give or do reluctantly
begrudge a person a favor
begrudgingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on begrudge

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