resentful

adjective

re·​sent·​ful ri-ˈzent-fəl 

1

: full of resentment : inclined to resent

felt resentful of her success

2

: caused or marked by resentment

resentful anger

resentfully

ri-ˈzent-fə-lē 

adverb

resentfulness noun

Synonyms

• angry
• cynical
• embittered
• sore
• bitter
• rancorous

Examples of resentful in a Sentence

She is resentful about being demoted.

She gave me a resentful glare.

a resentful letter to the editor

Recent Examples on the Web

But others defended Wong as a successful leader who was hounded by resentful former officials who were voted out when her slate was elected. —Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2025

But exactly the opposite needs to happen: the patient needs to enact her struggle in the room, to be messy, irrational, resentful, out of control. —Leslie Jamison, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025

Some may even feel a bit resentful after a while from the pressure of being the sole income earner. —Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2025

But the famously resentful president didn't fully buy in. —Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for resentful

• eventful
• uneventful

Kids Definition

resentful

adjective

re·​sent·​ful ri-ˈzent-fəl 

1

: full of resentment

felt resentful of her success

2

: caused or marked by resentment

a resentful reply to a letter

resentfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

resentfulness noun