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
Relevance
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
Richard Fontaine, Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2025
Trump's administration has come under intense criticism over its handling of records related to the case, rankling many leading voices within the MAGA-sphere.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 24 Sep. 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
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
Trump's administration has come under intense criticism over its handling of records related to the case, rankling many leading voices within the MAGA-sphere.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 24 Sep. 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
-
It’s further dragged down by far too many irritating genre tropes to count.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
An irritating product or excessive use of active ingredients can quickly push skin into a state of hypersensitivity.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Set into motion by an innocuous wish, the James family is forced to explore their generational differences, intra-marital conflicts, raging hormones, and professional anxieties, in a complicated web of body-swapping madness.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
27 Jan. 2026
-
At the time, a war was raging in Europe and the United States was seeking to assert its dominance in Latin America.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And all the while, our gutless politicians watch from the sidelines so as to not interfere and risk angering their party.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
-
With an economy that is persistently reliant on crude, pursuing policies that raise energy costs risks angering constituents.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Garlic supplements and dietary garlic can have health benefits, and a few annoying side effects, like bad breath and stomach upset.—
Heidi Moawad,
Verywell Health,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Patriots’ fans view Sunday as an annoying calisthenic, if not a joke.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Today, an armada is steaming towards Iran.—
Mariam Khan,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Transfer to a large plate, spreading out to keep from steaming.—
Hana Asbrink,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The implications are infuriating.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The hosts’ stand-in captain was at his eccentric best, infuriating bowlers and fielders alike.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The redshirt senior quarterback is the crown jewel of the Knights’ 2026 transfer class, bringing with him the hope of improvement from a frustrating 5-7 season in 2025.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2026
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Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens sees expanding MARTA into Cobb and Gwinnett counties as a key step toward better regional connection, while metro Atlanta residents continue to struggle with traffic congestion that’s both frustrating and dangerous.—
Riley Bunch,
AJC.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
No icons nestled between burning candles.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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Inside the redesign Fabian Wiesemüller, PhD, co-founder and CEO of FireDrone AG, said firefighters must physically enter burning buildings to spot hazardous materials or missing persons.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rankling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rankling. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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