as in irritating
causing annoyance
for some air travelers, the most rankling aspect of the security measures seems to be the restrictions regarding carry-on baggage
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in raging
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger
that kind of rude treatment from a young person makes me rankle
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in angering
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 rankling
Anika Reed, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
But Johnson recalled how in 2024 Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed undocumented people to work at public universities, rankling activists.
—Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 15 Feb. 2026
But when Russia invaded Ukraine, South Africa repeatedly abstained from United Nations votes on the war—rankling officials in Washington.
—Richard Fontaine, Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2025
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
Verb
The actress, producer and book club founder took to social media to speak out about leaning in to artificial intelligence, rankling some of her followers in the process.
—Anika Reed, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
But Johnson recalled how in 2024 Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed undocumented people to work at public universities, rankling activists.
—Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 15 Feb. 2026
But when Russia invaded Ukraine, South Africa repeatedly abstained from United Nations votes on the war—rankling officials in Washington.
—Richard Fontaine, Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rankling
Adjective
-
Sulfate-free shampoos are often less irritating to sensitive scalps, too.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
-
Derms say mineral blocks tend to be less irritating for sensitive skin.—
Brigitt Earley,
Glamour,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Nonetheless, Munden added his own visual flair, with color saturation, distorted close-ups to show the characters’ disorientation, and mesmerizing shots of nature writ large (raging fires, roiling ocean waves, torrential storms) and small (ants devouring a bug).—
Stuart Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
Those close to Desert Warrior were realistic about the movie’s appeal, particularly at a time when war is raging in the Middle East.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
The economic cost of the war is now palpable – with cell-phone data outages that regularly blight major cities angering even the pro-Putin bourgeoisie – adding to a sense of the war beginning to hit the urban elite, who until now were mostly isolated from the invasion’s impact.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
-
Starmer’s comments risk angering many within his party, who will take issue with his linking of antisemitism with pro-Palestinian activism.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
There was noticeable and annoying lag and sluggishness in the Windows desktop and Windows Explorer, not even counting Chrome or Office, with apps taking some 10 seconds to even open.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
-
The Hawks want to be a scrappy, tough, annoying team to play against.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Canvas When steaming canvas, Stern recommends a strong steam setting.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
4 May 2026
-
Ideal for reheating leftovers and frozen food, steaming food in the microwave, and at-a-glance food storage for easy grab and go.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The right’s impulse to politicize every crisis is infuriating.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2026
-
The gap between what Greg and I did—and, more importantly, thought about—became a gigantic infuriating cavern for me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
At a time when air travel can often feel routine if not outright frustrating, inaugural flights can be reminiscent of an era where every trip was more of a special event.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
10 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, Madrid’s two Englishmen were having frustrating evenings.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Maps show where the wildfires are burning across Florida and Georgia.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The video shows stunned drivers making a break for it after the firework went off, even though 77 was still partially burning.—
Joe Bruno,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rankling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rankling. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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