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
That has rankled Washington’s partners, some of whom have called for more intraregional trade.
—
semafor.com, 10 July 2025
The first meeting of new vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrapped up Thursday after days of discussions that rankled mainstream scientists, public health experts and major medical associations.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 27 June 2025
Verbeek still realizes his decision will rankle some Ducks supporters who won’t be happy to lose the most interesting player on a few terrible Anaheim teams in recent years.
—Greg Beacham, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025
His soul-searching journey, played out on podcasts and talk shows, and attempts to moderate have rankled some of his allies in the Legislature, the labor movement and reproductive health care.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rankle
semafor.com, 10 July 2025
The first meeting of new vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrapped up Thursday after days of discussions that rankled mainstream scientists, public health experts and major medical associations.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 27 June 2025
Verbeek still realizes his decision will rankle some Ducks supporters who won’t be happy to lose the most interesting player on a few terrible Anaheim teams in recent years.
—Greg Beacham, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025
His soul-searching journey, played out on podcasts and talk shows, and attempts to moderate have rankled some of his allies in the Legislature, the labor movement and reproductive health care.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rankle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rankle
Verb
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The main difference in cooking methods is that traditional poaching boils the egg while an egg poacher steams it.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
29 July 2025
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But yes, there are options to steaming and standing in line for a ride.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 July 2025
Verb
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The reversal served to infuriate Patrick, who presides over the Senate, and several lawmakers who accused Mindell of misleading them with his statements to the Finance panel.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, handed off pieces of the regulatory apparatus to allies of his primary competitor Elizabeth Warren, producing a domestic policy that pleasantly surprised his party’s left and infuriated American business leaders.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
28 July 2025
Verb
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Despite the fact that the fight raged on until the attackers backed off, Powers said there was a level of intervention from bystanders during the fight.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
2 Aug. 2025
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Water ran out frequently as fires raged through the camps, filling the air with smoke.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In March, Gerson signed a contract to keep him at Flamengo until 2030, his subsequent departure angering many Flamengo fans.—
Henry Flynn,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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Trump, angered by messy encampments of homeless people near the White House and on the nation's streets and parks, declared that organizations receiving federal funding must focus first on locking up people with drug or mental health challenges.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
31 July 2025
Verb
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The pair, who met as college undergrads, both burned with idealism and recognized their privilege could be leveraged for a game-changing idea.—
Carole Horst,
Variety,
13 Sep. 2023
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The Ellen MacArthur Foundation promotes circular fashion and says that, in the United States, an amount of clothing equal to a garbage truck is ferried to landfills or burned every second.—
Neeti Mehra,
Treehugger,
13 Sep. 2023
Verb
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In 1995, when the Premier League was in its infancy and transfer fees were tiny in comparison to today, Newcastle United, serious title contenders, enraged their supporters by selling leading goalscorer Andy Cole to Manchester United for £6million plus winger Keith Gillespie.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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The prospect of seeing the Sussexes at royal events would enrage the monarchy’s loyal supporters.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
22 July 2025
Verb
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To make the dessert, ripe plantains are boiled, then mashed and combined with cinnamon and sugar and rolled into small balls.—
Maliah West,
AFAR Media,
23 July 2025
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Stir together boiling water and rolled oats in a small heatproof bowl; let stand until room temperature, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften oats.—
Sheri Castle,
Southern Living,
18 July 2025
Verb
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That acquisition annoyed shareholders and customers alike, with investors taking issue with the fact that it was structured to avoid a vote.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
25 July 2025
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Meanwhile, be patient with daily contacts, especially siblings and relatives who might annoy you.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
21 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rankle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rankle. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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