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
The rancorous, reptilian, essentially unknowable right—rising from the wastes like Trump, Putin, or Sauron—receives the Promethean gift of historical agency.
—
Matthew Karp, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
Whether commercial insurers will cover the rest of the multi-billion price tag is bound to be a rancorous issue.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2025
But engaging with those properties could mean putting even more money into her pocket and represent an explicit affirmation of her rancorous positions.
—Glen Weldon, NPR, 18 Jan. 2025
Contrast that with the current perception of American college campuses (and, to an extent, campuses across the wider world) constantly portrayed as rancorous battlegrounds in the culture wars, where dissenting ideas are often collateral damage, as are those promulgating them.
—Shaun Carver, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Matthew Karp, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
Whether commercial insurers will cover the rest of the multi-billion price tag is bound to be a rancorous issue.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2025
But engaging with those properties could mean putting even more money into her pocket and represent an explicit affirmation of her rancorous positions.
—Glen Weldon, NPR, 18 Jan. 2025
Contrast that with the current perception of American college campuses (and, to an extent, campuses across the wider world) constantly portrayed as rancorous battlegrounds in the culture wars, where dissenting ideas are often collateral damage, as are those promulgating them.
—Shaun Carver, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rancorous
Adjective
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Harrison’s hiring, built on connections and made in the wake of an acrimonious separation from Nelson, Cuban’s only previous GM, was supposed to change all that.—
C. Clark, D. Aldridge, S. Amick, F. Katz,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
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But after seasons of misery with the New York Giants and an acrimonious end to his time in New Jersey, this season has been a dream come true for Barkley with the Kansas City Chiefs standing between him and NFL immortality.—
Ben Morse,
CNN,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Abby’s Motivations – Last night, players saw that the show was saying right away that Abby was a Firefly and was angry at Joel for all his murders at the hospital, decimating the entire organization.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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His angry toss of the rosin bag to a spot several feet from the pitcher’s mound during Sunday’s game was an indication of his disappointment.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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By the time Leif Davis was sent off on the half-hour for a dangerous foul from behind on Saka, who Arteta said was sore but did not suffer any serious damage, the winger had created a game-high three chances.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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However, Rice – out of Sunday’s lineup – was still stiff, sore and swollen.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The United States and the Soviet Union were bitter adversaries during the four decade-long Cold War, competing for influence on multiple continents and arming their respective proxies from as far afield as Afghanistan, Angola, and Nicaragua in order to enhance their power at the other's expense.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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By emphasizing short wars, strategists rely too much on initial battle plans that may not play out in practice—with bitter consequences.—
Lawrence D. Freedman,
Foreign Affairs,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Beyond that, Acheampong’s rapid rise and equally precipitous fall in the first two weeks of January lent itself to the more cynical notion that Maresca might have wanted to send a message to Chelsea about the need for defensive reinforcements in the winter market.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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Perhaps most perplexing about Smash, though, is its weirdly cynical, ungenerous take on the Bombshell herself.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Chief among those are the stubbornness, hot-headedness and resentful pride that drove away Maryanne (The Righteous Gemstones’ Jennifer Nettles), his ex-wife and erstwhile performing partner, and their teenage son, Cade (Maxwell Jenkins).—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2025
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Season 1 was largely about a conflict over a room, the butting of heads between the privileged guests and the resentful staff.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But there’s a qualitative difference with a spiteful, foul-mouthed, score-settling president leading by acrid example.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2025
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Semi acrid mid palate and a finish with vanilla and raspberries—doused in acidity.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rancorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rancorous. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
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