as in angered
feeling or showing anger
our supervisor was rankled by all the unexpected delays and problems we ran into
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in stormed
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 infuriated
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 rankled
Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
That experience had rankled in my soul ever since.
—Ben East, Outdoor Life, 28 Aug. 2025
Dobson's unflinching conservatism rankled some Republican leaders at the height of his influence.
—Jason Derose, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025
Environmental groups, others long oppose SpaceX rocket launches That aggressive approach, though, has rankled environmentalists and others who have criticized SpaceX's operations for potentially decimating regional ecosystems.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Having to spend three hours being poked and prodded and prevented from making phone calls rankled; Diamandis is an incorrigible multitasker.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
One part of Harris’ platform particularly rankled Sasse.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024
This has rankled many in America’s spy community.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Nov. 2024
The new labor movement has clearly rankled prominent tech figures, Musk among them.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 15 Oct. 2024
Verb
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
Dobson's unflinching conservatism rankled some Republican leaders at the height of his influence.
—Jason Derose, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025
Environmental groups, others long oppose SpaceX rocket launches That aggressive approach, though, has rankled environmentalists and others who have criticized SpaceX's operations for potentially decimating regional ecosystems.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Having to spend three hours being poked and prodded and prevented from making phone calls rankled; Diamandis is an incorrigible multitasker.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
One part of Harris’ platform particularly rankled Sasse.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024
This has rankled many in America’s spy community.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Nov. 2024
The new labor movement has clearly rankled prominent tech figures, Musk among them.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 15 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rankled
Adjective
-
Soon, the faces of the angered New York City citizens around her soften.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The Hollywood icon stormed the Dancing With the Stars ballroom during the season 34 premiere with a flashy tango alongside partner Jenna Johnson.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Sep. 2025
-
At the rehearsal the day before, Ethan stormed out after claiming Zac and Lydia were moving too quickly in their relationship and speculating that Zac might be gay.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The decision infuriated Democrats in the House and fueled some calls from within the base for Schumer to be replaced at the top of the party.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Slightly ironic for a man who in his time as the team’s GM this century has infuriated all parts of Cowboys nation.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Mistaken as the murderer, Mary is stoned and buried alive in a shallow grave by the enraged townspeople.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
17 Sep. 2025
-
The defense attorney, Michael Caesar, told jurors that Bragg became enraged after Gladney outed him as a gay man, and sought revenge.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the spring, the leaves are harvested, steamed, de-stemmed and de-veined and then stone ground into a fine powder.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
-
And last Friday, US and British warships steamed through the Taiwan Strait.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Margot’s father still annoyed them from time to time.—
Josh Davis,
Fortune,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Everyone Lee comes into contact with is at minimum annoyed with him most of the time, if not outright hating him.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
At the same time, the new chief executive officer of the British Fashion Council, a former fashion editor who was most recently executive creative director of Selfridges, isn’t frustrated or angry about the myriad challenges London fashion is facing right now.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Conservatives are right to mourn his death and to be righteously angry.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As the Tush Push discourse raged Sunday night following the Chiefs’ 20-17 loss to the Eagles, another debate started.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
16 Sep. 2025
-
At times, officials, including senior advisor Stephen Miller, have raged against federal judges for standing in their way by issuing nationwide injunctions, some of which Sotomayor and her colleagues have then had brought before them.—
Dan Gooding
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rankled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rankled. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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