1
as in anger
an intense emotional state of displeasure with someone or something
vented her spleen and felt much better for having done so
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm
the bill's failure to pass in the legislature was due to nothing more than partisan spleen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spleen
Their father said that the toddler suffered a broken leg, and the infant has a brain bleed and ruptured spleen.
—
Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 6 Dec. 2025
What had started as a juvenile prank escalated quickly and ended in the victim being stabbed 20 times by one of the men – resulting in the removal of his spleen, prosecutors said.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2025
His doctors were worried there was cancer on his spleen, and decided to do surgery to remove the organ.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Nov. 2025
About six years later, she was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer and had surgery to remove the mass, part of her pancreas, her spleen, 17 lymph nodes, and a fibroid.
—Anna Halkidis, Parents, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spleen
Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 6 Dec. 2025
What had started as a juvenile prank escalated quickly and ended in the victim being stabbed 20 times by one of the men – resulting in the removal of his spleen, prosecutors said.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2025
His doctors were worried there was cancer on his spleen, and decided to do surgery to remove the organ.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Nov. 2025
About six years later, she was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer and had surgery to remove the mass, part of her pancreas, her spleen, 17 lymph nodes, and a fibroid.
—Anna Halkidis, Parents, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spleen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spleen
Noun
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Last year, after Mayor Todd Gloria and the council completed a long-term con job that imposed trash fees on 220,000-plus homes at rates that were far higher than promised in 2022, anger was common.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Swallowing your anger has only allowed this problem to fester.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This wicker man becomes a devoted partner, sparking jealousy and malice in her narrow-minded neighbors, exploring themes of love, cruelty, and societal conformity.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
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Trump’s malice and incompetence alienates voters, who then publicly voice their discontent, encouraging other political actors and institutions to see him not as a crusading avatar of national destiny but as a weakened figure.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
His indignation was not sugar coated.—
Essence,
Essence,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Struber laughs at their polite indignation.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Then their own mother turned venom against them, the object of their wounding telling them that the shape of their wounds was never really there.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
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Even though Chelsea have dominated Tottenham in terms of trophies won and in head-to-head matches for three decades now, the venom directed their way is as strong as ever.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For some nail technicians and amateur nail artists, their vivid and ever-updated creations have become a natural outlet for their outrage.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Vance's comments come as outrage swelled over Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents taking into custody four students under the age of 18 in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Global leaders reflected on rising antisemitism and the need for unity to combat hatred and war, drawing parallels to defeating Nazism in 1945.—
Vanessa Gera,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The annual global event remembers the 6 million Jewish victims and millions of other victims and the commitment to stand against hatred and intolerance.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And then there’s all the emerging tech, like a device that shrouds your body in inflammation-reducing red light at Carillon’s Miami Wellness Resort’s Inner Glow retreat, and a zero-gravity recliner at Canyon Ranch Lenox that can rescue you from menopausal rage at its M/Power retreat.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Bateman’s violence is not driven by rage.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But that’s often in spite of, not because of, government design.—
Sal Rodriguez,
Oc Register,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Jennings is held together by tape, adrenaline, and pure spite.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spleen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spleen. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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