How to Use rankle in a Sentence

rankle

verb
  • The joke about her family rankled her.
  • But some of the changes have rankled the House.
    — Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
  • The questions about the tax bills rankled.
    — Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2025
  • And that's one of the reasons why the memo rankled reporters.
    — Brian Stelter, CNN, 2 Aug. 2019
  • While it was meant as high praise, the description rankled him.
    — Kyle Buchanan, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2023
  • And even if none of that were the case, the move rankles on principle alone.
    — Brian Barrett, WIRED, 30 June 2019
  • Trinke has been dead for years, but mention of his name still rankles Brandt.
    — Brian E. Clark, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2017
  • How much will the war with Iran rankle the housing market?
    — Jeff Lazerson, Oc Register, 26 May 2026
  • That talk rankles the old school, which hears it as an apologia for stock prices that seem to be bubbling over.
    — Bloomberg, latimes.com, 8 June 2018
  • Even so, some of the cost cutting has rankled key constituencies.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 14 Aug. 2024
  • Chase’s rising fame and immodesty rankled some of his cast mates.
    — Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 1 Jan. 2026
  • Jayne never shopped with him again—and decades later, the episode clearly still rankled.
    — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2019
  • Comments that Pretti shouldn't have had his gun with him have rankled gun rights groups.
    — Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
  • This is sure to rankle some in his party who want a shift to younger generations.
    — Cate Martel, The Hill, 12 Mar. 2026
  • But that, of course, rankled the building's neighbors, as did the lights filling the sky each night.
    — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Dec. 2025
  • Nothing rankles fans more than a team that continues to make the same mistake over and over again.
    — Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Even before the theft, the piece rankled more than a few people in Denmark.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 5 Mar. 2025
  • That has rankled some of those involved in buying the Marlins.
    — Dave Hyde, Sun-Sentinel.com, 18 Aug. 2017
  • Now, though, the attempts to force us all onto the family’s own terms rankle.
    — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 14 Nov. 2022
  • That’s sure to rankle Boise State fans — and plenty of other fans, too.
    — Dave Southorn, idahostatesman, 18 Jan. 2018
  • But that decision rankled many.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
  • If someone were to describe the B-52’s as an oldies act, would that rankle you?
    — Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2022
  • The idea rankled some in the community but after a few town hall meetings the project is still on.
    — Kristina Davis, sandiegouniontribune.com, 14 Oct. 2017
  • But the losses in the top category are likely to rankle their fans.
    — Paul Grein, Billboard, 6 Feb. 2023
  • Kacey felt the pivot and the influx of new listeners might rankle someone but didn’t care.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2021
  • Some of Niccol's changes have rankled customers and baristas.
    — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
  • That experience had rankled in my soul ever since.
    — Ben East, Outdoor Life, 28 Aug. 2025
  • The moody lighting in another film likewise rankled the denizens of the front office.
    — Longreads, 15 May 2018
  • The scandal still rankles people in the Caracas slum of Petare.
    — Fox News, 8 Apr. 2020
  • That is something that rankles Stammen, among others.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rankle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: