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 last couple years have been marked by intense and often rancorous debates around Judaism, within both the community writ large and nuclear units like the Schwoopers.
—
Alison Herman, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
The avoidable editorial error collided with Channel 4 broadcasting Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, a documentary that the BBC formally scotched just days earlier amid a rancorous dispute over the impartiality of the filmmakers involved in telling the stories of warzone medics.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 4 July 2025
Even as the pair’s relationship grew rancorous, the company kept growing, reaching revenue of just over $700 million in 2018.
—Phoebe Liu, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
The accompanying article described a rancorous public hearing at which representatives from the municipal unions and minority communities denounced the mayor’s proposals for mass layoffs in the city’s workforce and deep cuts in its public education and social service programs.
—Rolling Stone, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Alison Herman, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
The avoidable editorial error collided with Channel 4 broadcasting Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, a documentary that the BBC formally scotched just days earlier amid a rancorous dispute over the impartiality of the filmmakers involved in telling the stories of warzone medics.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 4 July 2025
Even as the pair’s relationship grew rancorous, the company kept growing, reaching revenue of just over $700 million in 2018.
—Phoebe Liu, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
The accompanying article described a rancorous public hearing at which representatives from the municipal unions and minority communities denounced the mayor’s proposals for mass layoffs in the city’s workforce and deep cuts in its public education and social service programs.
—Rolling Stone, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rancorous
Adjective
-
In another acrimonious scene the same day, a conversation between a Republican congressman and the leader of House Democrats devolved into a shouting match.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
-
According to People, McCrary’s legal issues stem from his lengthy and acrimonious divorce from former Harlem Globetrotters player Tammy Brawner.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Cate is obviously very angry at Jordan, Emma and Marie, but the moment feels like a callback to two other events — the young woman who almost died in the club in the pilot, whom the gang abandons but Marie saves; and Shetty, whom Cate prevents Marie from saving in the season one finale.—
Abbey White,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Oct. 2025
-
An allegedly angry Spears threw a cocktail in his face.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
My theory was that the reserves have more history playing together, with the starters, working in Ingram and without Jakob Poeltl because of a sore back and illness, are still figuring it out.—
Eric Koreen,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
-
My foot started to really hurt after that, and my leg was a little bit sore.—
Terry Terrones,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Free Press, which Paramount bought for about $150 million, paints itself as a voice of the center but draws its energy from the bitter US culture wars.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
13 Oct. 2025
-
There were glimmers of hope, even in bitter defeat, for the reigning AFC champions.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
As my colleague Charlie Warzel wrote in March, on X, the White House is now a troll account, borrowing its snide visual language and tone from some of the internet’s most cynical spaces and deploying this style to mock and dehumanize people.—
Kaitlyn Tiffany,
The Atlantic,
9 Oct. 2025
-
The whole discourse was so cynical.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Dillingham did not grow resentful toward Finch for the lack of playing time.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The Russians, who were resentful of Western efforts to freeze them out over Ukraine, have toned down their anti-American rhetoric.—
Richard Gowan,
Time,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Though Dyer’s Colette is the closest thing the DMV ensemble has to a lead, its brightest star is Gregg, a fellow examiner played by Tim Meadows with the embittered misery of someone who understands his existence as a cosmic joke.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Oct. 2025
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In Weimar Germany, embittered veterans of exclusionary traditions fueled fascism.—
Loree Sutton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The scent of the earth was pungent and overpowered the acrid smell of the gunpowder, which dissipated into the air.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 July 2025
-
Authorities clad in military-style helmets and uniforms faced off with the demonstrators, and people ultimately retreated amid acrid green-and-white billowing smoke.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rancorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rancorous. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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