as in acrimonious
having or showing deep-seated resentment
a rancorous autobiography in which the author heaps blame on just about everyone who had the misfortune of knowing him
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Recent Examples of rancorous
Kennedy’s retirement from active service on the court was followed by a rancorous and highly political process of confirmation for Kavanaugh, who was successfully nominated by Trump in 2018.
—
Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2025
The timing of the announcement appeared not to be coincidental, coming as Disney reached a rancorous carriage impasse with YouTube TV.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025
The conversations were spirited and robust but hardly rancorous.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
But the film could have used more of the rancorous triangle formed by Enrichetta, her mother and Duse’s monastically devoted and territorial Austrian assistant, Desiree (Fanni Wrochna).
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2025
The timing of the announcement appeared not to be coincidental, coming as Disney reached a rancorous carriage impasse with YouTube TV.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025
The conversations were spirited and robust but hardly rancorous.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
But the film could have used more of the rancorous triangle formed by Enrichetta, her mother and Duse’s monastically devoted and territorial Austrian assistant, Desiree (Fanni Wrochna).
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rancorous
Adjective
-
Buckingham had an acrimonious split from the band in 2018 amid an alleged disagreement over the timing of a world tour.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
13 Apr. 2026
-
And while the talks were tough at moments, the meetings were not entirely acrimonious.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
One of them, Amy, a blond child with limp ponytails and a thin dress that looks like it might have been stained, stands outside a porch door, her fists balled up, mouth open, angry or unhappy or both.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Adames looked more perturbed than angry, putting his hands on his hips before taking off his helmet and slowly walking to first base.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But eliminating the ban has hit a sore spot with environmentalists and outdoor enthusiasts.—
Todd Richmond,
Twin Cities,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Power forward LeBron James was out for the Lakers that night due to a sore left ankle and foot, according to a game recap.—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The death toll is now declining after years of bitter experience.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The bitter war led to a match Sunday night at WrestleMania 42.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Wally, too cynical to apprentice.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The Season 3 premiere is no different, plunging viewers back into Sam Levinson‘s provocative story about young people searching for meaning and connection in a chaotic, often cynical, world.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But being attuned to our own needs and desires tends to leave us feeling more satisfied and fulfilled and less resentful and angry.—
Joy Harden Bradford,
AJC.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Angered when his ally Munim Khan was replaced by Shams-ud-din as vakil (prime minister), Adham Khan, who was already resentful after his recall from Malwa, stormed into the court with his supporters on May 16, 1562, and murdered Shams-ud-din in the audience hall.—
Tamanna Nangia,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The latest twist in the embittered legal feud follows Semafor’s reporting that press releases sent by Musk lawyer Marc Toberoff — which used to come from a PR firm — are now being sent by WME.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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Asia reunites with her estranged sibling and, with the help of embittered staffer Ray (Paterson Joseph), tries to make her way up through the fortresslike building to find an escape.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Verified video and photos from the region showed how sprawling strikes across parts of Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley shot towering columns of acrid smoke into the sky above the capital and sparked a desperate evacuation.—
Matt Bradley,
NBC news,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The dots soon became acrid splotches of oil.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rancorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rancorous. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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