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
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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
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Recent Examples of rankle
Matthew quickly schemes his way into Oliver’s orbit after that first performance, impressing and rankling the group of lackeys in his entourage at the same time.
—
Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
Dobson's unflinching conservatism rankled some Republican leaders at the height of his influence.
—Jason Derose, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025
Environmental groups, others long oppose SpaceX rocket launches That aggressive approach, though, has rankled environmentalists and others who have criticized SpaceX's operations for potentially decimating regional ecosystems.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Having to spend three hours being poked and prodded and prevented from making phone calls rankled; Diamandis is an incorrigible multitasker.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rankle
Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
Dobson's unflinching conservatism rankled some Republican leaders at the height of his influence.
—Jason Derose, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025
Environmental groups, others long oppose SpaceX rocket launches That aggressive approach, though, has rankled environmentalists and others who have criticized SpaceX's operations for potentially decimating regional ecosystems.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Having to spend three hours being poked and prodded and prevented from making phone calls rankled; Diamandis is an incorrigible multitasker.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rankle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rankle
Verb
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Needless to say, fans are steaming.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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At the other end, the Premier League is steaming beyond its peers; a super league in all but name.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Slightly ironic for a man who in his time as the team’s GM this century has infuriated all parts of Cowboys nation.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Sep. 2025
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The scale of the destruction shocked and infuriated Cutright, according to a different source familiar with the incident who did not want to be identified because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As the Tush Push discourse raged Sunday night following the Chiefs’ 20-17 loss to the Eagles, another debate started.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
16 Sep. 2025
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At times, officials, including senior advisor Stephen Miller, have raged against federal judges for standing in their way by issuing nationwide injunctions, some of which Sotomayor and her colleagues have then had brought before them.—
Dan Gooding
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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However, sharp spending cuts have angered many, while corruption allegations against senior officials have dented his party’s odds ahead of next month’s vote, which could determine the future of Milei’s presidency.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Lawyers at Walsh Gallegos coordinated two releases of emails and other documents on behalf of the school board, but CNN reported how gaping holes remained, surprising and angering board members.—
Shimon Prokupecz,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lapin and her family were among the more than 150,000 people throughout Los Angeles forced to evacuate their homes because of the blazes, which burned more than 40,000 acres and destroyed over 16,000 structures.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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Historic data In 2024, California experienced 305 fires caused by lightning, resulting in 90,206 acres of wildland burned, according to NIFC records.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Never mind that the Jets’ rookie coach, Aaron Glenn, had enraged him by cutting him loose.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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And whether the Carolina Panthers are just stuck in an endless loop of embarrassment, one that alternately humiliates and enrages their fans.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Humans could be easily killed by radiation exposure, and the lack of atmospheric pressure on Mars or in orbit would cause a person’s blood to boil if they were exposed.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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Take your time and make sure to boil and simmer as directed.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Don't push sales and annoy people.—
Nitin Gupta,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Comments about my fast walk annoy me.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rankle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rankle. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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