1
as in to steam
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger
that kind of rude treatment from a young person makes me rankle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to infuriate
to make angry
it rankles me when some schools can't even afford paper and pencils for the students
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of rankle
That such a talented businessman seems to have so little faith in the point of his product certainly rankles this consumer.
—
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Read more here about how Trump's non-endorsement of Cornyn, in favor of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, rankled GOP lawmakers.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 20 May 2026
That is something that rankles Stammen, among others.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026
The Sound Dues rankled the maritime powers of the day, but Denmark could easily enforce them thanks to the narrowness of the Øresund Strait, which is less than 3 miles wide at Helsingør.
—Vivek Krishnamurthy, The Conversation, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rankle
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Read more here about how Trump's non-endorsement of Cornyn, in favor of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, rankled GOP lawmakers.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 20 May 2026
That is something that rankles Stammen, among others.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026
The Sound Dues rankled the maritime powers of the day, but Denmark could easily enforce them thanks to the narrowness of the Øresund Strait, which is less than 3 miles wide at Helsingør.
—Vivek Krishnamurthy, The Conversation, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rankle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rankle
Verb
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Mike Trout, who was the automatic runner at second, came steaming around toward the plate.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
9 June 2026
-
Kuih means little sweet snacks that can be steamed, fried or baked and are all bite-sized.—
Julie Lin,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 June 2026
Verb
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While most of the familiar multi-variety white cuvées are traditional blend styles from regions like Rhône Valley, Rioja, Tuscany, or Bordeaux, a handful around the globe—and especially from the New World—combine varieties that would infuriate traditionalists.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
7 June 2026
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The decision to send in state troopers – some on horseback – infuriated many protesters while drawing praise from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.—
Leigh Waldman,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Three cases nearly overwhelmed us, while 3,000 raged in Liberia.—
Tom Frieden,
STAT,
6 June 2026
-
Local television channel Hiru showed image of firefighters, police and residents trying to contain the raging fire.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Star forward Sardar Azmoun was dropped in March, reportedly because of a social media post that angered Iranian authorities during the war.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
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Butler’s refusal to attend the hearing frustrated and angered several of Sheron’s supporters present for the hearing Wednesday.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 June 2026
Verb
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With the myth of Medea as a burning thematic wire, and through the metaphor of bloody dog fights, the novel burns with the rage and despair of those who remain unseen.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
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Deciding on a solution to the long-running turtle tizzy at I-95’s Exit 42, where 100-foot-tall light towers burn so brightly experts say the glow disrupts sea turtle nesting on beaches 12 miles away, has state and local government officials at loggerheads.—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
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The back-and-forth with the hospital and the insurer enraged Wood.—
Katy Golvala,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2026
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One quick way to enrage a room of people leaders?—
Kristin Stoller,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
Verb
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While the water is technically heated to near-boiling temperatures to brew coffee and tea, that’s not always enough to guarantee safety, especially when altitude changes the boiling point.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
7 June 2026
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Customers are advised to boil water for one minute before use or use bottled water for drinking, cooking, and brushing teeth.—
Garrett Behanna,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Rather than be annoyed, however, both Zach and Kayda seem to mostly welcome Bryce’s presence, all three of them bonded.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
-
Americans might be annoyed at how they’re portrayed.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rankle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rankle. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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