dudgeon

Definition of dudgeonnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word dudgeon distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of dudgeon are huff, offense, pique, resentment, and umbrage. While all these words mean "an emotional response to or an emotional state resulting from a slight or indignity," dudgeon suggests an angry fit of indignation.

stormed out of the meeting in high dudgeon

When would huff be a good substitute for dudgeon?

The words huff and dudgeon are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, huff implies a peevish short-lived spell of anger usually at a petty cause.

in a huff he slammed the door

When could offense be used to replace dudgeon?

Although the words offense and dudgeon have much in common, offense implies hurt displeasure.

takes deep offense at racial slurs

When is it sensible to use pique instead of dudgeon?

The synonyms pique and dudgeon are sometimes interchangeable, but pique applies to a transient feeling of wounded vanity.

in a pique I foolishly declined the invitation

Where would resentment be a reasonable alternative to dudgeon?

The words resentment and dudgeon can be used in similar contexts, but resentment suggests lasting indignation or ill will.

harbored a lifelong resentment of his brother

In what contexts can umbrage take the place of dudgeon?

The meanings of umbrage and dudgeon largely overlap; however, umbrage may suggest hurt pride, resentment, or suspicion of another's motives.

took umbrage at the offer of advice

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 dudgeon Maybe the high public dudgeon is just envy masquerading as principle. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 12 June 2026 Beck is in a state of high dudgeon, because there’s a big shipment due and two of his drivers are AWOL. Chris Klimek, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025 Instead, the high dudgeon now heard in Tennant’s fey voice gives too much weight to the smugness of group-thinkers. Armond White, National Review, 18 Sep. 2024 But some Angelenos took their picket signs and their dudgeon to City Hall. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2023 But the movement is flummoxed now that its style of one-way dialogue and high-dudgeon shaming is provoking sharp backlash from illiberal strongmen, right-wing populists, and the mass constituencies that support these strongmen around the globe. Jack Snyder, Foreign Affairs, 21 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dudgeon
Noun
  • Devers walked back to the dugout in a huff.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026
  • Not everyone feels the same way, however, and some progressive parents and staff are in a huff.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • Gallup polling found Gen Z’s anger toward AI rose from 22% to 31% over the past year, even as regular usage held roughly steady around half of the cohort, meaning a generation that keeps using a tool it’s increasingly frustrated with.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 July 2026
  • Before the recording was played, Judge William Sullivan warned jurors not to allow sympathy, anger, passion or pity to influence their verdict.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026
Noun
  • Mind you, Miss Manners agrees with your indignation at this fraudulent maneuver.
    Judith Martin, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
  • And Anne Hathaway, in a bravura performance, situates Penelope on an emotional precipice, caught between indecision and indignation, between yearning for her husband and a palpable disgust with the alternatives.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Noun
  • Inevitably, the entourage of the MP and mayor of Meaux began to take umbrage.
    Olivier Bouchara, Vanity Fair, 24 July 2026
  • The halftime show controversy In short, folks are taking umbrage with the breaking of traditions and the changing of conditions.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Noun
  • Such incidents created frustration among Old Sacramento business owners at the time, according to previous Bee reports, referencing gun violence.
    Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 26 July 2026
  • The suspension stemmed in part from Liang’s frustration over online reports about his comments to investors during his first financing deal, which closed in June and raised $7 billion for the AI lab, the people said.
    Haze Fan, Fortune, 25 July 2026
Noun
  • The implosion of Platner’s candidacy—first bit by bit and then all at once—has Democrats nationwide throwing up their hands in exasperation.
    Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 9 July 2026
  • At a certain point, the admiration for Paraguay’s underdog defiance and spoiling strategy gave way to exasperation.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Noun
  • That path can lead to feelings of disappointment, bitterness and resentment.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Getting the plan on the table early keeps a routine bill from turning into a lasting resentment.
    Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 July 2026
Noun
  • Fewer annoying managers, rehab visits, or fits of artistic pique.
    Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
  • The Odyssey’s starry cast — which includes Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, and Robert Pattinson — certainly helped pique prerelease awareness.
    Chris Lee, Vulture, 20 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dudgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dudgeon. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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