as in resentments
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
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Recent Examples of grudges
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
Voters are fragments of coalitions, habits, grudges, identities, and instincts.
—Matt Klink, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
Netflix’s Beef season 1 is the perfect demonstration of how grudges can spiral out of control, leading to a finale that’s as chaotic as the feud that drives it.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
The President is, after all, known for his volatile temper and for holding grudges.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 6 Apr. 2026
But Trump has also turned to tariffs amid personal grudges, or in response to political critics.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Their secrets, grudges, and desires haven’ changes one iota.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
The Olympics that preached harmony finally united in a single city known for love, beauty and grudges.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
As far as grudges go, this one runs dangerously deep.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
Internal drama — employee hook-ups, power plays, longstanding grudges — share space with the mix of the mundane and the outrageous that constitutes a typical day in a typical big-city emergency department.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
Voters are fragments of coalitions, habits, grudges, identities, and instincts.
—Matt Klink, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
Netflix’s Beef season 1 is the perfect demonstration of how grudges can spiral out of control, leading to a finale that’s as chaotic as the feud that drives it.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
The President is, after all, known for his volatile temper and for holding grudges.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 6 Apr. 2026
But Trump has also turned to tariffs amid personal grudges, or in response to political critics.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Their secrets, grudges, and desires haven’ changes one iota.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
The Olympics that preached harmony finally united in a single city known for love, beauty and grudges.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
As far as grudges go, this one runs dangerously deep.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grudges
Noun
-
Over the course of the day and evening, old secrets, resentments, and regrets bubble up to the surface and Altman crafts a devastating meditation on memory, identity, and the necessity as well as the danger of a vivid fantasy life.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
1 May 2026
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But as the years and resentments pile on, their cancerous brotherhood threatens to obliterate them both.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sam Brunson, a nonprofit law professor at Loyola University Chicago, told Fortune that as a general rule, a donor who dislikes how a charity later spends its money has no recourse beyond ceasing to donate.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
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But there is also a suspicion among defense chiefs, amplified by Robertson, that the Treasury dislikes handing money to the Ministry of Defense (MoD) due to the latter's various procurement mishaps.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hart had came to Haddish’s defense and aired grievances against Williams.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
11 May 2026
-
Though directors had grievances with John’s leadership, their complaints weren’t serious enough to justify firing him at this point.—
Geoffrey Cain,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Footloose is also name-checked, which is technically not a horror movie but is about a small town that stubbornly refuses to change.—
Jen Chaney,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
-
Hunter is stubborn, arrogant and gifted enough to play for the Briar hockey team, yet refuses to for reasons the show has yet to reveal.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grudges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grudges. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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