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 committee’s Democratic members savaged Rubio for diminishing America’s global role; the meeting grew so rancorous that Senator Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho who was Rubio’s closest friend in the Senate, had to repeatedly bang his gavel to bring order.
—
Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rancorous
Adjective
-
The owner, Kenneth Howell has been locked in an acrimonious battle with the city of Boise for years, after Boise staff raised concerns over temporary shoring posts bowing under the building’s weight and a crumbling facade, among other safety issues staff highlighted.—
Darin Oswald,
Idaho Statesman,
3 June 2026
-
The White House didn’t comment on the acrimonious tone of the call, which was reported by Axios.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Linda Hyde, a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards member since 2014, boarded her Southwest flight on May 21 at Miami International Airport humiliated and angry.—
Ella Moore
Updated May 29,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
-
Elder’s sculpture was sitting outside of Bee Hive KC over Memorial Day Weekend when a man who was visibly angry allegedly began vandalizing the honeybee, according to Elder.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Mac Jones did not throw Wednesday because of a sore shoulder that checked out clean and should be ready for training camp, which is expected to open July 25 or 26.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
-
Sales have been a sore spot for Lululemon, but profitability has been an even larger challenge.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
This collection of poems—Orr’s thirteenth—bears bitter witness to environmental degradation, moral corruption, and the aging of a body and of a generation, all viewed from a bird’s eye, wrapped in the language and tone of myth.—
Craig Morgan Teicher,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
-
Latest in bitter back-and-forth The sour words about each candidate’s PAC connections are only the latest in a bitter back-and-forth between the two Democrat women.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
To start the second half, Australia captain Henry Hutchison made a try-saving tackle on Tristan Leyds, who was then sin-binned for a cynical foul.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
-
His social commentary reflected disgust with the unfettered capitalism of the Gilded Age, and his cynical aphorisms became widely quoted.—
Peter Hessler,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Even Zach Cherry squeezes plenty from his part as the dealership’s manager, who grows loudly resentful when Nate seems more emotionally invested in his biological children than coworkers.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
27 May 2026
-
But while Julie was raised by her struggling, resentful aunt, Chloe was adopted by the rich VanHuusen family.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
Fitton-Brown says most Uyghur fighters in Syria were largely recruited from embittered Uyghur exiles who had never been to Afghanistan or Pakistan.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
17 May 2026
-
Lindsay looks at old photos of them online with a half-wistful, half-embittered expression, but ultimately blocks him.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Creepy compliments his acrid smell with an air of invincibility.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
Fighter jets roared overhead, and air strikes pounded the surrounding hillsides, sending up thick plumes of acrid smoke.—
Euan Ward,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rancorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rancorous. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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